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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb buffler

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The English translation of the French verb buffler is “to baffle” or “to confuse.” It is pronounced as “buf-leh” in the infinitive form.

The word buffler originated from the Old French word “beffler,” which means “to mock” or “to tease.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples:

  1. Je ne comprenais pas pourquoi il se comportait ainsi, cela me bufflait. (I couldn’t understand why he was behaving like that, it baffled me.)
  2. Il me bufflait avec ses énigmes incessantes. (He baffled me with his constant riddles.)
  3. Nous ne pouvions pas croire qu’il l’avait fait, cela nous bufflait complètement. (We couldn’t believe he had done it, it completely baffled us.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bufflasse Si j’étais fort, je bufflasse tous mes adversaires. If I were strong, I would overpower all my opponents.
tu bufflasses Si tu étais rapide, tu bufflasses très vite. If you were fast, you would run very quickly.
il bufflât Si il était courageux, il bufflât sans peur. If he were brave, he would charge without fear.
elle bufflât Si elle était puissante, elle bufflât avec force. If she were powerful, she would stampede with strength.
on bufflât Si on était en colère, on bufflât bruyamment. If one were angry, one would snort loudly.
nous bufflassions Si nous étions ensemble, nous bufflassions ensemble. If we were together, we would charge together.
vous bufflassiez Si vous étiez en forme, vous bufflassiez sans effort. If you were in shape, you would charge effortlessly.
ils bufflassent S’ils étaient motivés, ils bufflassent avec détermination. If they were motivated, they would charge with determination.
elles bufflassent Si elles étaient calmes, elles bufflassent avec sérénité. If they were calm, they would charge with serenity.

Other Conjugations for Buffler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb buffler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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