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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb calmer

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The English translation of the French verb calmer is “to calm.” In French, the infinitive form of calmer is pronounced “cal-may.”

The word calmer comes from the Old French word “calme,” meaning “tranquility.” It is most commonly used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

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

  1. Il fallait que je le calme avant qu’il s’en aille. (I needed to calm him down before he left.)
  2. J’aurais aimé qu’elle se calme avant de partir. (I would have liked her to calm down before leaving.)
  3. Nous voulions que vous vous calmiez avant de prendre une décision. (We wanted you to calm down before making a decision.)

In these examples, calmer is used to express the idea of needing/wanting someone to calm down in the past, but there is uncertainty about whether or not it actually happened.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je calmasse Si j’étais stressé, je calmasse mes nerfs. If I were stressed, I would calm my nerves.
tu calmasses Si tu te concentrais, tu calmasses ton esprit. If you focused, you would calm your mind.
il calmat Il serait plus détendu si il calmat ses pensées. He would be more relaxed if he calmed his thoughts.
elle calmat Elle dormirait mieux si elle calmat ses émotions. She would sleep better if she calmed her emotions.
on calmat Si on ne se disputait pas, on calmat l’atmosphère. If we didn’t argue, we would calm the atmosphere.
nous calmassions Si nous nous sentions anxieux, nous calmassions nos esprits. If we were feeling anxious, we would calm our minds.
vous calmassiez Si vous écoutiez calmement, vous comprendriez mieux. If you listened calmly, you would understand better.
ils calmassent S’ils ne se stressaient pas, ils calmassent leur esprit. If they didn’t stress, they would calm their minds.
elles calmassent Si elles calmaient leur colère, elles se sentiraient mieux. If they calmed their anger, they would feel better.

Other Conjugations for Calmer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb calmer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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