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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb calfater

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The English translation of the French verb calfater is “to caulk.” It is pronounced as “kal-fah-tay” in its infinitive form.

The word “calfater” comes from the Latin word “calcāre,” meaning “to trample” or “to tread.” It entered the French language in the 12th century with the meaning “to repair a ship’s hull by filling in gaps with tar or other materials.”

In everyday French, the verb calfater is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a possibility, a hypothesis, or an uncertain situation in the past. It is formed by adding the appropriate endings to the imperfect stem of the verb.

Three simple examples of calfater in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je calfate la coque du bateau pour qu’il ne prenne pas l’eau. (I had to caulk the boat’s hull so that it wouldn’t take on water.)

  2. Nous souhaitions que le charpentier calfât les fuites avant la tempête. (We wished for the carpenter to caulk the leaks before the storm.)

  3. Je doutais qu’ils calfatassent correctement le navire, mais nous n’avions pas le choix. (I doubted that they were caulking the ship properly, but we didn’t have a choice.)

  4. I had to caulk the boat’s hull so that it wouldn’t take on water.

  5. We wished for the carpenter to caulk the leaks before the storm.

  6. I doubted that they were caulking the ship properly, but we didn’t have a choice.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je calfatais Si je calfatais les fuites, le bateau ne coulerait pas. If I caulked the leaks, the boat wouldn’t sink.
tu calfatais Tu pourrais aider si tu calfatais la coque. You could help if you caulked the hull.
il calfatait Il valait mieux qu’il calfatait avant la tempête. It was better that he caulked before the storm.
elle calfatait Elle craignait que je calfatais mal. She was afraid that I was caulking wrong.
on calfatait Si on calfatait régulièrement, le navire serait en meilleur état. If one caulked regularly, the ship would be in better condition.
nous calfatassions Si nous calfatassions ensemble, ça irait plus vite. If we caulked together, it would go faster.
vous calfatiez Si vous calfatiez toutes les fentes, l’eau ne rentrerait plus. If you caulked all the cracks, the water wouldn’t come in anymore.
ils calfataient Ils étaient contents qu’ils calfataient si bien. They were happy that they were caulking so well.
elles calfataient Les femmes pensaient qu’elles calfataient mieux que les hommes. The women thought they were caulking better than the men.

Other Conjugations for Calfater.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb calfater
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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