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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb buvoter

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The English translation of the French verb buvoter is “to drink slightly” or “to sip”. It is pronounced as “boo-voh-tay” in its infinitive form.

The verb buvoter comes from the French words “boire” (to drink) and “voter” (to vote). It is considered a colloquial term and is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Il n’était pas sûr que je buvotasse du vin rouge ce soir. (He wasn’t sure if I would drink red wine tonight.)
  2. Je voulais que tu buvotasses du café avec moi. (I wanted you to have some coffee with me.)
  3. Ils aimaient que nous buvotassions du thé en fin de soirée. (They liked it when we would have some tea at the end of the evening.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je buvotasse Si j’avais soif, je buvotasse un verre d’eau. If I were thirsty, I would drink a glass of water.
tu buvotasses Si tu étais poli, tu buvotasses avec les invités. If you were polite, you would drink with the guests.
il buvotât Il serait surpris si il buvotât du thé au lieu de la bière. He would be surprised if he drank tea instead of beer.
elle buvotât Elle serait contente si elle buvotât moins de soda. She would be happy if she drank less soda.
on buvotât Si on buvotât plus d’eau, on serait en meilleure santé. If one drank more water, one would be healthier.
nous buvotassions Si nous buvotassions ensemble, nous passerions un bon moment. If we drank together, we would have a good time.
vous buvotassiez Si vous buvotassiez du vin, vous devriez le faire avec modération. If you drank wine, you should do it in moderation.
ils buvotassent S’ils buvotassent moins, ils auraient moins de maux de tête. If they drank less, they would have fewer headaches.
elles buvotassent Si elles buvotassent de l’eau au lieu de l’alcool, elles se sentiraient mieux. If they drank water instead of alcohol, they would feel better.

Other Conjugations for Buvoter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb buvoter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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