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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cadenasser

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The English translation of the French verb cadenasser is “to lock up/to padlock”. The infinitive form is pronounced “ka-de-nah-say”.

The word “cadenasser” comes from the French word “cadène”, meaning chain, and the suffix “-er” which indicates the infinitive form of a verb. In everyday French, cadenasser is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples:

  1. Je doute que tu aies cadenassé la porte. (I doubt that you locked the door.)
  2. Il était possible que les voleurs aient cadenassé le coffre-fort. (It was possible that the thieves had locked the safe.)
  3. Nous ne pensions pas que la maison ait été cadenassée avant notre arrivée. (We didn’t think that the house had been locked before our arrival.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cadenassasse Si j’étais riche, je cadenassasse plus souvent ma porte. If I were rich, I would lock my door more often.
tu cadenassasses Si tu avais peur, tu cadenassasses ta valise. If you were scared, you would lock your suitcase.
il cadenassât Il serait plus en sécurité si il cadenassât sa voiture. He would be safer if he locked his car.
elle cadenassât Elle serait rassurée si elle cadenassât son vélo. She would feel reassured if she locked her bike.
on cadenassât Si on cadenassât la grille, on empêcherait les voleurs d’entrer. If one locked the gate, it would prevent thieves from entering.
nous cadenassions Si nous cadenassions notre maison, nous serions protégés. If we locked our house, we would be protected.
vous cadenassiez Si vous cadenassiez votre sac, vous n’auriez pas peur de le perdre. If you locked your bag, you wouldn’t be afraid of losing it.
ils cadenassent S’ils cadenassent bien leur appartement, ils n’ont pas à s’inquiéter. If they locked their apartment properly, they don’t have to worry.
elles cadenassent Si elles cadenassent leurs casiers, elles ne risqueraient pas de se faire voler. If they locked their lockers, they wouldn’t risk getting stolen from.

Other Conjugations for Cadenasser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cadenasser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Cadenasser – 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.

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