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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cadencer

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The English translation of the French verb cadencer is “to cadence.” The infinitive form is pronounced “ka-den-say.”

The verb cadencer comes from the Old French word “cadence,” meaning “falling” or “rhythm.” 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.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, with their English translations:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu cadençasses le rythme de la musique. (I wished that you would cadence the rhythm of the music.)

  2. Il fallait que nous cadencions nos pas pour ne pas faire de bruit. (We had to cadence our steps so as not to make any noise.)

  3. Nous aurions aimé que vous cadençassiez votre lecture pour qu’elle soit plus claire. (We would have liked for you to cadence your reading so that it would be clearer.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cadençasse Si j’avais du rythme, je cadençasse mieux. If I had rhythm, I would pace better.
tu cadençasses Si tu écoutais plus de musique, tu cadençasses plus facilement. If you listened to more music, you would pace more easily.
il cadençât Il serait plus détendu s’il cadençât en marchant. He would be more relaxed if he paced while walking.
elle cadençât Elle serait plus concentrée si elle cadençât en écrivant. She would be more focused if she paced while writing.
on cadençât Si on cadençât en groupe, on serait plus synchronisé. If one paced in a group, one would be more synchronized.
nous cadençassions Si nous cadençassions ensemble, ce serait plus harmonieux. If we paced together, it would be more harmonious.
vous cadençassiez Si vous cadençassiez en tapant du pied, vous seriez plus rythmés. If you paced by tapping your foot, you would be more rhythmic.
ils cadençassent S’ils cadençassent en chantant, la chorale serait plus en accord. If they paced by singing, the choir would be more in tune.
elles cadençassent Si elles cadençassent en dansant, ça serait plus divertissant. If they paced by dancing, it would be more entertaining.

Other Conjugations for Cadencer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cadencer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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