Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb brosser

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The English translation of the French verb brosser is “to brush.” The infinitive form, brosser, is pronounced as “bro-say.”

The origin of the word brosser can be traced back to the Latin word “bruscus”, meaning “bush” or “shrubby.” Over time, it evolved into the Old French word “brosse”, meaning “brush.” In everyday French, brosser is typically used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples:

  1. Il fallait que je brossasse mes dents avant d’aller au lit. (I had to brush my teeth before going to bed.)
  2. Je souhaitais que tu brossasses le chat tous les jours. (I wished for you to brush the cat every day.)
  3. Elle voulait que nous brossassions les chevaux avant de les monter. (She wanted us to brush the horses before riding them.)

Table of the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of brosser

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je brossasse Si j’avais le temps, je brossasse le chien. If I had the time, I would brush the dog.
tu brossasses Si tu avais plus de patience, tu brossasses mieux. If you had more patience, you would brush better.
il brossât Il serait content si il brossât les dents régulièrement. He would be happy if he brushed his teeth regularly.
elle brossât Elle serait surprise si elle brossât le cheval tous les jours. She would be surprised if she brushed the horse every day.
on brossât Si on brossât les meubles plus souvent, on en aurait moins de poussière. If one brushed the furniture more often, there would be less dust.
nous brossassions Si nous brossassions tous les matins, nos dents seraient en bonne santé. If we brushed every morning, our teeth would be healthy.
vous brossassiez Si vous brossassiez plus fort, vous auriez les cheveux plus lisses. If you brushed harder, your hair would be smoother.
ils brossassent S’ils brossassent leurs chaussures, ils auraient l’air plus présentables. If they brushed their shoes, they would look more presentable.
elles brossassent Si elles brossassent leurs cheveux, ils seraient moins emmêlés. If they brushed their hair, it would be less tangled.

Other Conjugations for Brosser.

   
    Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb brosser
   

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser
   

    Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser
   

    Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser
   

    Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser
   

    Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser
   

    Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser
   

    Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser

    Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser

    Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser

    Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser
   

    Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser (this article)

    Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser
   

    Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser
   

    Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser

    L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser

    L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb brosser

    Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!
   

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Brosser – About the French Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense

The French Subjonctif Imparfait, also known as the imperfect subjunctive, is a verb tense used to express actions, states, or conditions that are uncertain, subjective, or hypothetical in the past. It is used in a variety of situations, including wishes, doubts, emotions, and polite requests, and often occurs in dependent clauses following certain expressions and conjunctions.

NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see my article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Formation

To form the Subjonctif Imparfait, you typically start with the third person plural (ils/elles) form of the verb in the imparfait (imperfect) tense. Then, you remove the -ent ending and add the appropriate endings:

– For regular -er verbs: je -sse, tu -sses, il/elle/on -t, nous -ssions, vous -ssiez, ils/elles -ssent.
– For regular -ir and -re verbs: je -sse, tu -sses, il/elle/on -t, nous -ssions, vous -ssiez, ils/elles -ssent.

Common Everyday Usage Patterns

1. Expressing Doubt or Uncertainty: The Subjonctif Imparfait is used to express doubt or uncertainty about something that happened in the past.

Example: Il doutait qu’elle vînt à la fête. (He doubted that she came to the party.)

2. Wishes and Desires: It is used to express wishes or desires in the past.

Example: J’aurais aimé que tu fusses là. (I would have liked you to be there.)

3. Hypothetical Scenarios: The Subjonctif Imparfait is employed in hypothetical situations in the past.

Example: Si j’eusse su, j’aurais agi différemment. (If I had known, I would have acted differently.)
4. Polite Requests and Suggestions: It is used to make polite requests and suggestions in a formal or polite tone.

Example: Il souhaitait que vous vinssiez lui rendre visite. (He wished that you would come to visit him.)

Interactions with Other Tenses

Subjonctif Présent

The Subjonctif Imparfait is often used in dependent clauses with the Subjonctif Présent in the main clause, especially in complex sentences.

Example: Il faut que tu manges bien pour que tu aies de l’énergie. (You need to eat well so that you have energy.)

Indicatif Passé Composé

The Subjonctif Imparfait can be used alongside the Indicatif Passé Composé to indicate a contrast between a factual event and a hypothetical one.

Example: Il est parti avant que tu ne fusses arrivé. (He left before you arrived.)

Conditional

The Subjonctif Imparfait is often used with the Conditional to express unreal or hypothetical situations in the past.

Example: J’aurais pu le faire si j’eusse eu plus de temps. (I could have done it if I had had more time.)

Conditional Perfect

It can also be used with the Conditional Perfect to express unreal or hypothetical past events that would have occurred before other past events.

Example: J’aurais su s’il eût partagé l’information. (I would have known if he had shared the information.)

Summary

The Subjonctif Imparfait is a relatively complex tense, and its usage depends on the context and the verbs involved. It is essential to practice and become familiar with common expressions and contexts where this tense is appropriate to use it effectively in everyday French communication.

I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb brosser. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

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