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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb calciner

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The English translation of the French verb calciner is “to calcine.” It is pronounced as “kal-see-nay” in the infinitive form.

The word “calciner” comes from the Latin word “calcinar” which means “to burn,” and it is derived from the word “calx” which means “lime.” In everyday French, “calciner” is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense, with the respective English translations, are:

  1. Il fallait que je calcinasse le calcaire pour obtenir de la chaux. (I had to calcine the limestone to obtain lime.)
  2. Si nous avions calciné le minerai, nous aurions obtenu du métal pur. (If we had calcined the ore, we would have obtained pure metal.)
  3. Il était important que vous calciniez le charbon avant de l’utiliser comme combustible. (It was important that you calcined the coal before using it as fuel.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je calcinasse Si j’étais tu, je calcinasse le bois pour un feu. If I were you, I would burn the wood for a fire.
tu calcinasses Si tu me le demandais, tu calcinasses le papier. If you asked me, you would incinerate the paper.
il calcinât Il serait plus facile si il calcinât la peinture. It would be easier if he incinerated the paint.
elle calcinât Elle serait triste si elle calcinât ses dessins. She would be sad if she incinerated her drawings.
on calcinât Si on calcinât les déchets, on protègerait l’environnement. If one incinerated the waste, one would protect the environment.
nous calcinassions Si nous calcinassions les feuilles, nous n’aurions pas de tas. If we burned the leaves, we would not have a pile.
vous calcinassiez Si vous calcinassiez le charbon, vous auriez du charbon chaud. If you incinerated the coal, you would have hot coal.
ils calcinassent S’ils calcinassent le sable, ils obtiendraient du verre. If they incinerated the sand, they would get glass.
elles calcinassent Si elles calcinassent le métal, elles auraient des déchets. If they incinerated the metal, they would have waste.

Other Conjugations for Calciner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb calciner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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