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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cabiner

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The English translation of the French verb cabiner is “to cabin,” meaning to live or stay in a small, private space. The infinitive form, cabiner, is pronounced “kah-bee-nay.”

The word cabiner comes from the French noun “cabinet,” meaning a small private room or chamber. In everyday French, the verb cabiner is commonly used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action or state in the past.

Here are three examples of cabiner used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que tu cabinasses avec tes amis après le concert. (You needed to cabin with your friends after the concert.)
  2. Je souhaitais que nous cabinions ensemble dans les montagnes. (I wished that we were cabinning together in the mountains.)
  3. Il était possible que nous cabinassions dans une auberge près du lac. (It was possible that we were cabinning in an inn near the lake.)

In these examples, the verb cabiner expresses a potential or desired action that may have taken place in the past. It is often used to describe a temporary living arrangement or a cozy and intimate setting.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cabinasse Si j’avais le temps, je cabinasse plus souvent. If I had the time, I would cabinet more often.
tu cabinasses Si tu avais assez d’argent, tu cabinasses plus grand. If you had enough money, you would cabinet bigger.
il cabinât Si il avait plus de ressources, il cabinât mieux. If he had more resources, he would cabinet better.
elle cabinât Si elle avait de meilleures idées, elle cabinât plus créativement. If she had better ideas, she would cabinet more creatively.
on cabinât Si on avait plus de temps, on cabinât plus efficacement. If one had more time, one would cabinet more efficiently.
nous cabinassions Si nous cabinassions moins souvent, nous serions moins occupés. If we cabineted less often, we would be less busy.
vous cabinassiez Si vous cabinassiez mieux, vous auriez plus de succès. If you cabineted better, you would have more success.
ils cabinassent S’ils cabinassent plus sérieusement, ils pourraient trouver une solution. If they cabineted more seriously, they could find a solution.
elles cabinassent Si elles cabinassent ensemble, elles pourraient surmonter leurs différences. If they cabineted together, they could overcome their differences.

Other Conjugations for Cabiner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cabiner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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