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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb canoter

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The English translation of the French verb canoter is “to go canoeing”. The infinitive form, canoter, is pronounced as “cah-noh-tay”.

The word canoter comes from the noun “canot” meaning “canoe” in French. It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is used to talk about a past action that may or may not have happened, or that the speaker is unsure about.

Examples:

  1. Il fallait que nous canotions sur le lac cet été. (We should have gone canoeing on the lake this summer.)
  2. Je doutais que tu canotasses aussi bien que moi. (I doubted that you were canoeing as well as me.)
  3. Il était possible que les enfants canotent pendant les vacances. (It was possible that the children were canoeing during the holidays.)

English translations:

  1. It was necessary for us to go canoeing on the lake this summer.
  2. I doubted that you were canoeing as well as me.
  3. It was possible that the children were canoeing during the holidays.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je canotasse Si j’étais en forme, je canotasse tous les jours. If I were in shape, I would go canoeing every day.
tu canotasses Si tu me prêtais ton canot, tu canotasses avec moi. If you lent me your canoe, you would go canoeing with me.
il canotât Il serait content si il canotât dans la rivière. He would be happy if he went canoeing in the river.
elle canotât Elle serait surprise si elle canotât bien. She would be surprised if she canoed well.
on canotât Si on canotât plus souvent, on se relaxerait plus. If one went canoeing more often, one would relax more.
nous canotassions Si nous canotassions ensemble, ça serait amusant. If we went canoeing together, it would be fun.
vous canotassiez Si vous canotassiez avec nous, vous verriez de beaux paysages. If you went canoeing with us, you would see beautiful landscapes.
ils canotassent S’ils canotassent plus vite, ils arriveraient plus tôt. If they went canoeing faster, they would arrive earlier.
elles canotassent Si elles canotassent longtemps, elles seraient fatiguées. If they went canoeing for a long time, they would be tired.

Other Conjugations for Canoter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb canoter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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