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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb calfeutrer

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The English translation of the French verb calfeutrer is “to seal up” or “to caulk.” It is pronounced “kal-fuh-tray.”

The word calfeutrer comes from the Old French word “calefater,” meaning “to caulk.” It is derived from the Latin word “calcāre,” meaning “to trample,” which comes from the word “calx,” meaning “heel.” This reflects the action of pressing or trampling a sealant into a crack or crevice to prevent air or water from passing through.

In everyday French, calfeutrer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is used to talk about a situation that may have happened, but did not actually happen.

Here are three examples of calfeutrer used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Si je pouvais, je calfeutrerais toutes les fenêtres de ma maison pour garder la chaleur à l’intérieur. (If I could, I would seal up all the windows of my house to keep the heat inside.)

  2. Il aurait fallu que vous calfeutriez soigneusement le toit pour éviter les fuites d’eau pendant la tempête. (You should have carefully sealed up the roof to prevent water leaks during the storm.)

  3. Nous voulions que le bâtiment soit bien calfeutré avant l’hiver, mais malheureusement, le chantier a pris du retard. (We wanted the building to be well sealed up before winter, but unfortunately, the construction was delayed.)

In these examples, the Subjonctif Imparfait tense is used to express a wish, a regret, or an uncertainty about a past action. In English, this tense is translated with “would have” or “should have” followed by the past participle of the verb.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je calfeutrasse Si je calfeutrassse les fenêtres, il ferait moins froid. If I sealed the windows, it would be less cold.
tu calfeutrasses Si tu calfeutrasses la porte, il y aurait moins de bruit. If you sealed the door, there would be less noise.
il calfeutrât Il serait prudent qu’il calfeutrât la maison avant l’orage. It would be wise for him to seal the house before the storm.
elle calfeutrât Elle préférait que son enfant calfeutrât la pièce la nuit. She preferred her child to seal the room at night.
on calfeutrât Si on calfeutrât bien, on économiserait de l’énergie. If one sealed properly, one would save energy.
nous calfeutrassions Si nous calfeutrassions toutes les fissures, la maison serait plus chaude. If we sealed all the cracks, the house would be warmer.
vous calfeutrassiez Si vous calfeutrassiez les portes, il n’y aurait plus de courants d’air. If you sealed the doors, there would be no more drafts.
ils calfeutrassent S’ils calfeutrassent les fenêtres, il y aurait moins de poussière. If they sealed the windows, there would be less dust.
elles calfeutrassent Si elles calfeutrassent toutes les ouvertures, les insectes ne rentreraient pas. If they sealed all the openings, insects wouldn’t come in.

Other Conjugations for Calfeutrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb calfeutrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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