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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb buller

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The English translation of the French verb buller is “to bubble/to gurgle/to froth.” It is pronounced “bu-leh.”

The language origin of buller is uncertain, but it is believed to come from the Latin word “bullire,” meaning “to boil.”

In everyday French, buller is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses uncertainty or possibility in the past. It is often used to express wishes, desires, or hypothetical situations.

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. J’aimerais que tu bullasses dans la piscine avec moi. (I wish you were bubbling in the pool with me.)

  2. Il fallait qu’elle bullât tous les jours pour se calmer. (She had to bubble every day to calm down.)

  3. Nous aurions préféré que vous bulliez plus tôt. (We would have preferred you to bubble earlier.)

English translations are given in parentheses.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je bullasse Je resterais à la maison si je bullasse tout le jour. I would stay at home if I daydreamed all day.
tu bullasses Si tu partais faire du camping, tu bullasses sous les étoiles. If you went camping, you would daydream under the stars.
il bullât Il serait calme si il bullât sans arrêt. He would be calm if he daydreamed constantly.
elle bullât Elle serait heureuse si elle bullât à la plage. She would be happy if she daydreamed at the beach.
on bullât Si on bullât dehors, on se reposerait. If one daydreamed outside, one would rest.
nous bullassions Si nous bullassions plus souvent, nous serions plus créatifs. If we daydreamed more often, we would be more creative.
vous bullassiez Si vous bullassiez dans le train, vous ne verriez pas le paysage. If you daydreamed on the train, you wouldn’t see the landscape.
ils bullassent S’ils bullassent au lieu de travailler, ils perdraient leur emploi. If they daydreamed instead of working, they would lose their job.
elles bullassent Si elles bullassent en classe, elles n’apprendraient pas. If they daydreamed in class, they wouldn’t learn.

Other Conjugations for Buller.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb buller
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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