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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb canoniser

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The English translation of the French verb canoniser is “to canonize.” It is pronounced “ka-nuh-nee-zay.”

The word canoniser comes from the Latin word “canonizare,” meaning “to place in the canon of saints.” It entered the French language in the 12th century.

In everyday French, canoniser is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a wish, a desire, or a hypothetical situation in the past. It is often used in formal or religious contexts.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que le pape canonisât le saint pour qu’il devienne officiellement un saint. (The pope had to canonize the saint for him to become officially a saint.)

  2. Si elle avait été canonisée, elle aurait été une sainte très respectée. (If she had been canonized, she would have been a highly respected saint.)

  3. Il était important que les fidèles canonisassent le saint pour lui rendre hommage. (It was important for the faithful to canonize the saint to pay him tribute.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je canonisasse Je voudrais que je canonisasse mes ancêtres. I wish I could canonize my ancestors.
tu canonisasses Si tu pouvais, tu canonisasses des célébrités. If you could, you would canonize celebrities.
il canonisât Il pourrait être béni s’il canonisât des saints. He could be blessed if he canonized saints.
elle canonisât Elle serait heureuse si elle canonisât des musiciens. She would be happy if she canonized musicians.
on canonisât Si on canonisât des animaux, ils seraient saints. If one canonized animals, they would be saints.
nous canonisassions Si nous canonisassions des personnes vivantes, ils seraient en vie. If we canonized living people, they would be alive.
vous canonisassiez Si vous canonisassiez des personnes célèbres, ils seraient célèbres. If you canonized famous people, they would be famous.
ils canonisassent S’ils canonisassent des célébrités, ils auraient plus de respect. If they canonized celebrities, they would have more respect.
elles canonisassent Si elles canonisassent des écrivains, ils seraient honorés. If they canonized writers, they would be honored.

Other Conjugations for Canoniser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canoniser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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