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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cadrer

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of cadrer. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb cadrer is “to frame” or “to fit.” It is pronounced as “ka-dreh.”

The origin of the word cadrer can be traced back to the Old French word “cadre,” meaning “frame.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a possibility or a wish in the past.

Some examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je cadrât le tableau parfaitement. (I needed to frame the painting perfectly.)
  2. J’aimerais que tu cadrasses mieux les photos. (I would like for you to frame the photos better.)
  3. Il était important que le sujet cadrât avec notre thème. (It was important for the subject to fit with our theme.)

In these examples, the verb cadrer is followed by the Subjonctif Imparfait form of the verb, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. The use of the Subjonctif Imparfait adds a sense of doubt or possibility to the sentences.

In summary, cadrer is a versatile verb that is commonly used in everyday French to express the idea of fitting or framing something in a specific way. When used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, it adds a sense of possibility or uncertainty to the sentence.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cadrasse Si j’étais toi, je cadrasse mieux que toi. If I were you, I would frame better than you.
tu cadrasses Si tu cadrasses plus souvent, tu prendrais de meilleures photos. If you framed more often, you would take better pictures.
il cadrât Il serait meilleur photographe s’il cadrât correctement. He would be a better photographer if he framed correctly.
elle cadrât Elle ferait du bon travail si elle cadrât ses photos. She would do good work if she framed her pictures.
on cadrât Si on cadrât bien, on aurait de belles photos. If one framed well, one would have beautiful pictures.
nous cadrassions Si nous cadrassions ensemble, on ferait un bon duo. If we framed together, we would make a good duo.
vous cadrassiez Si vous cadrassiez ces photos, elles seraient parfaites. If you framed these pictures, they would be perfect.
ils cadrassent S’ils cadrassent mieux, leurs photos seraient plus professionnelles. If they framed better, their pictures would be more professional.
elles cadrassent Si elles cadrassent plus souvent, leurs photos seraient plus variées. If they framed more often, their pictures would be more diverse.

Other Conjugations for Cadrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cadrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the cadrer Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply