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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb calamistrer

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The English translation of the French verb calamistrer is “to curl.” It is pronounced “kah-lah-mees-tray.”

The word calamistrer comes from the Latin word calamistrum, meaning “curling iron.”

In everyday French, calamistrer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a desire or wish in the past. It is often used with the word “que” to introduce a dependent clause.

Here are three simple examples of calamistrer used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their English translations:

  1. Je souhaitais que mes cheveux se calamistrent naturellement. (I wished for my hair to naturally curl.)

  2. Il fallait que tu calamistrasses tes cheveux avant la soirée. (You had to curl your hair before the party.)

  3. Nous voulions que nos cheveux se calamistrent pour le mariage. (We wanted our hair to curl for the wedding.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je calamistrasse Si je pouvais, je calamistrasse mes cheveux tous les jours. If I could, I would curl my hair every day.
tu calamistrasses Si tu ne te pressais pas, tu calamistrasses mieux. If you didn’t rush, you would curl better.
il calamistrât Il serait beau s’il calamistrât ses cheveux. He would look nice if he curled his hair.
elle calamistrât Elle serait élégante si elle calamistrât ses cheveux. She would be elegant if she curled her hair.
on calamistrât Si on calamistrât plus souvent, on serait plus joli. If one curled more often, one would look nicer.
nous calamistrassions Si nous calamistrassions ensemble, on se ferait des beaux styles. If we curled together, we would give each other nice styles.
vous calamistrassiez Si vous calamistrassiez vos cheveux, vous auriez l’air différent. If you curled your hair, you would look different.
ils calamistrassent S’ils calamistrassent leurs barbes, ils seraient plus élégants. If they curled their beards, they would be more elegant.
elles calamistrassent Si elles calamistrassent leurs cheveux, elles feraient des jolis boucles. If they curled their hair, they would make nice curls.

Other Conjugations for Calamistrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb calamistrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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