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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cabotiner

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The English translation of the French verb cabotiner is “to show off” or “to ham it up.” It is pronounced as kah-boh-tee-nay.

The language origin of cabotiner comes from the word “cabotin,” which means a stage actor or performer. It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je cabotine pour convaincre le public. (I had to ham it up to convince the audience.)
  2. Nous aurions aimé que tu ne cabotines pas autant pendant les réunions. (We would have liked for you not to show off so much during meetings.)
  3. Ils étaient surpris que tu cabotines même en présence de ton patron. (They were surprised that you were showing off even in front of your boss.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cabotinais Si j’avais plus confiance, je cabotinais avec plaisir. If I had more confidence, I would show off with pleasure.
tu cabotinais Si tu étais plus courageux, tu cabotinais mieux. If you were braver, you would show off better.
il cabotinait Il aurait été content si il cabotinait sans gêne. He would be happy if he showed off without shame.
elle cabotinait Elle aurait aimé si elle cabotinait avec plus d’assurance. She would have liked if she showed off with more confidence.
on cabotinait Si on cabotinait moins, on serait plus humble. If one showed off less, one would be more humble.
nous cabotinions Si nous cabotinions tout le temps, tout le monde nous connaitrait. If we showed off all the time, everyone would know us.
vous cabotiniez Si vous cabotiniez moins, vous seriez plus discret. If you showed off less, you would be more discreet.
ils cabotinaient S’ils cabotinaient plus souvent, ils seraient plus célèbres. If they showed off more often, they would be more famous.
elles cabotinaient Si elles cabotinaient ensemble, ce serait amusant. If they showed off together, it would be fun.

Other Conjugations for Cabotiner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cabotiner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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