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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb calancher

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The English translation of the French verb calancher is “to wilt” or “to droop.” It is pronounced “kah-lahn-shay” in its infinitive form.

The word calancher comes from the Occitan word “calanca,” meaning a dry ravine or valley. In everyday French, it is most often used 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 the respective English translations:

  1. Je craignais qu’elle ne calanchât sous le poids du fardeau.
    (I was afraid that she would wilt under the weight of the burden.)

  2. Il était possible que les fleurs ne calanchassent à cause de la chaleur.
    (It was possible that the flowers would droop because of the heat.)

  3. Nous doutions qu’elle ne calanchât après une longue journée de travail.
    (We doubted that she would wilt after a long day of work.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je calanchasse Si j’avais le courage, je calanchasse vers la montagne. If I had the courage, I would climb towards the mountain.
tu calanchasses Si tu aimais l’escalade, tu calanchasses avec moi. If you liked climbing, you would climb with me.
il calanchât Il serait surpris si il calanchât avec moi. He would be surprised if he climbed with me.
elle calanchât Elle serait ravie si elle calanchât avec moi. She would be delighted if she climbed with me.
on calanchât Si on calanchât plus souvent, on serait en forme. If one climbed more often, one would be in shape.
nous calanchassions Si nous calanchassions tous les jours, nous serions des experts. If we climbed every day, we would be experts.
vous calanchassiez Si vous calanchassiez plus longtemps, vous atteindriez le sommet. If you climbed for longer, you would reach the top.
ils calanchassent S’ils calanchassent ensemble, ça serait dangereux. If they climbed together, it would be dangerous.
elles calanchassent Si elles calanchassent facilement, je pourrais les suivre. If they climbed easily, I could follow them.

Other Conjugations for Calancher.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb calancher
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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