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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb câliner

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The English translation of the French verb câliner is “to cuddle.” It is pronounced “ka-lee-nay.”

The word câliner comes from the French noun câlin, which means “a cuddle” or “a hug.” It is derived from the Latin word calidus, meaning “warm.” Câliner is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a possibility, desire, or uncertainty in the past.

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

  1. Il fallait que je le câline pour qu’il se calme. (I had to cuddle him so he would calm down.)

  2. Je regrettais que tu ne câlines pas assez tes enfants. (I wished you would cuddle your children more.)

  3. Elle aurait aimé que nous la câlinions plus souvent. (She would have liked us to cuddle her more often.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je câlinasse Si j’étais triste, je câlinasse mon animal de compagnie. If I were sad, I would cuddle my pet.
tu câlinasses Si tu te sentais seul, tu câlinasses ta peluche. If you felt lonely, you would hug your stuffed animal.
il câlinât Il serait heureux si il câlinât son amoureuse. He would be happy if he hugged his girlfriend.
elle câlinât Elle serait rassurée si elle câlinât sa maman. She would be reassured if she hugged her mom.
on câlinât Si on câlinât plus souvent, on aurait moins de stress. If one hugged more often, one would have less stress.
nous câlinassions Si nous câlinassions nos amis, on serait tous plus heureux. If we hugged our friends, we would all be happier.
vous câlinassiez Si vous vous câlinassiez plus, vous seriez moins tendus. If you hugged each other more, you would be less tense.
ils câlinassent S’ils se câlinassent avant de dormir, ils feraient de beaux rêves. If they hugged each other before sleeping, they would have nice dreams.
elles câlinassent Si elles se câlinassent en public, ça ferait sourire les gens. If they hugged each other in public, it would make people smile.

Other Conjugations for Câliner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb câliner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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