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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bruiner

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The English translation of the French verb “bruiner” is “to drizzle.” It is pronounced “brew-ee-nay.”

The word “bruiner” comes from the noun “bruine,” meaning “fine rain” or “drizzle,” which ultimately comes from the Latin word “bruma,” meaning “winter.” In everyday French, “bruiner” is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a wish, uncertainty, or possibility in the past. It is often used after expressions such as “il faut que” (it is necessary that), “je voudrais que” (I would like that), or “il est possible que” (it is possible that).

Example 1: Il fallait que je me dépêche avant qu’il ne bruinât. (It was necessary for me to hurry before it drizzled.)
Example 2: Je voulais qu’il ne bruinât pas pendant notre promenade. (I wanted it not to drizzle during our walk.)
Example 3: Il était possible qu’il bruinât cet après-midi. (It was possible that it would drizzle this afternoon.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bruinasse Si je mettais un parapluie, je bruinasse moins. If I had an umbrella, it would rain less on me.
tu bruinasses Si tu habites à Seattle, tu bruinasses souvent. If you live in Seattle, it rains often on you.
il bruinât Il serait content si il bruinât moins souvent. He would be happy if it didn’t rain on him as much.
elle bruinât Elle serait surprise si elle bruinât toute la journée. She would be surprised if it rained all day on her.
on bruinât Si on bruinât plus, on aurait besoin de parapluies. If it rained more, we would need umbrellas.
nous bruinassions Si nous bruinassions plus souvent, nous aurions l’habitude. If we rained more often, we would be used to it.
vous bruinassiez Si vous bruinassiez moins, vous pourriez sortir plus. If it rained less, you could go out more.
ils bruinassent S’ils bruinassent moins, ils seraient moins mouillés. If they rained less, they would be less wet.
elles bruinassent Si elles bruinassent ensemble, elles seraient trempées. If they rained together, they would be soaked.

Other Conjugations for Bruiner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bruiner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Bruiner – 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 bruiner. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

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