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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cajoler

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of cajoler. 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 cajoler is “to cajole” or “to coax.” It is pronounced “kah-zho-lay.”

The word cajoler comes from the French word “cajole,” meaning “to flatter.” It first appeared in the French language in the 17th century and is derived from the Latin word “callere,” meaning “to deceive.” In everyday French, cajoler is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples of cajoler in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with English translations are:

  1. Je préférais que tu me cajoles plutôt que de me critiquer. (I would prefer that you cajole me rather than criticize me.)
  2. Il fallait que je le cajole pour qu’il accepte de sortir avec moi. (I had to cajole him so he would agree to go out with me.)
  3. Nous souhaitions que nos parents nous cajolent plus souvent. (We wished our parents would cajole us more often.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cajolasse Si j’avais un chien, je cajolasse avec lui. If I had a dog, I would cajole with him.
tu cajolasses Si tu me demandais, je te cajolasses. If you asked me, I would cajole you.
il cajolât Il serait heureux si il cajolât sa femme. He would be happy if he cajoled his wife.
elle cajolât Elle serait ravie si elle cajolât son bébé. She would be delighted if she cajoled her baby.
on cajolât Si on cajolât le chat, il serait plus calme. If one cajoled the cat, he would be calmer.
nous cajolassions Si nous cajolassions plus, nous serions plus proches. If we cajoled more, we would be closer.
vous cajolassiez Si vous cajolassiez votre enfant, il se calmerait. If you cajoled your child, he would calm down.
ils cajolassent Si ils cajolassent leurs animaux, ils seraient plus heureux. If they cajoled their animals, they would be happier.
elles cajolassent Si elles cajolassent leurs petits-enfants, ils seraient gâtés. If they cajoled their grandchildren, they would be spoiled.

Other Conjugations for Cajoler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cajoler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    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 cajoler Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply