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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb capéer

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The English translation of the French verb capéer is “to capsize.” It is pronounced as “ka-pey-eh” in the infinitive form.

The origin of the verb capéer can be traced back to the Latin word “capere” meaning “to take, to seize.” In everyday French, it is most commonly used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their respective English translations are:

  1. Il fallait qu’elle capétât le bateau avant que la tempête ne s’aggrave. (She had to capsize the boat before the storm got worse.)
  2. J’aurais aimé que vous ne capetiez pas le canot lors de votre dernière sortie en mer. (I wish you hadn’t capsized the canoe during your last outing at sea.)
  3. Si tu capéais le navire, on pourrait tous se retrouver à la mer en un instant. (If you were to capsize the ship, we could all end up in the sea in an instant.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je capéasse Si je capéasse moins, j’aurais plus d’argent. If I gambled less, I would have more money.
tu capéasses Si tu capéasses plus, tu gagnerais plus. If you gambled more, you would win more.
il capéât Il pourrait perdre s’il capéât trop. He could lose if he gambled too much.
elle capéât Elle serait furieuse si elle capéât son loyer. She would be furious if she gambled away her rent.
on capéât Si on capéât en équipe, on aurait plus de chances de gagner. If one gambled as a team, one would have more chances of winning.
nous capéassions Si nous capéassions ensemble, nous aurions plus de fun. If we gambled together, we would have more fun.
vous capéassiez Si vous capéassiez moins, vous perdriez moins. If you gambled less, you would lose less.
ils capéassent S’ils capéassent plus, ils pourraient devenir riches. If they gambled more, they could become rich.
elles capéassent Si elles capéassent plus souvent, elles s’endetteraient moins. If they gambled more often, they would get into less debt.

Other Conjugations for Capéer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb capéer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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