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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cambrioler

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The English translation of the French verb cambrioler is “to burgle” or “to break into.” It is pronounced as “kahm-bree-oh-lay” in its infinitive form.

The word cambrioler is derived from the Old French word “cambrelle” which means “tent peg.” Over time, the word evolved to refer to the practice of breaking into a house or building by lifting the tent pegs and entering through the opening. In modern usage, it typically refers to the illegal act of breaking into a home or building with intent to steal or commit a crime.

In everyday French, the verb cambrioler is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is formed by using the present tense of the subjunctive mood of the auxiliary verb “avoir” followed by the past participle of cambrioler.

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

  1. Il fallait que tu cambriolasses la maison. (You had to break into the house.)
  2. J’aurais aimé que vous ne cambrioliez pas cette villa. (I wish you hadn’t burgled this villa.)
  3. Il aurait été mieux que nous ne cambriolions pas cette banque. (It would have been better if we hadn’t burgled this bank.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cambriolasse Si j’étais plus courageux, je cambriolasse des banques. If I were braver, I would rob banks.
tu cambriolasses Si tu avais un complice, tu cambriolasses plus facilement. If you had an accomplice, you would rob more easily.
il cambriolât Il serait en prison s’il cambriolât des magasins. He would be in jail if he robbed stores.
elle cambriolât Elle aurait peur si elle cambriolât seule. She would be scared if she robbed alone.
on cambriolât Si on cambriolât les maisons, on irait en prison. If one robbed houses, one would go to jail.
nous cambriolassions Si nous cambriolassions, nous devrions être plus discrets. If we robbed, we would have to be more discreet.
vous cambriolassiez Si vous cambriolassiez moins, vous seriez moins recherchés. If you robbed less, you would be less wanted.
ils cambriolassent S’ils cambriolassent ensemble, ils réussiraient. If they robbed together, they would succeed.
elles cambriolassent Si elles cambriolassent ces maisons, elles iraient en prison. If they robbed these houses, they would go to jail.

Other Conjugations for Cambrioler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrioler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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