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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb capituler

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The English translation of the French verb capituler is “to surrender” or “to capitulate.” The infinitive form is pronounced “cah-peh-too-lay.”

The word capituler comes from the Latin word “capitulare,” which means “to draw up in chapters” or “to arrange under heads.” In everyday French, capituler is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or unreal action in the past.

Example 1: Je craignais qu’ils ne capitulent pas. (I feared they would not surrender.)
Example 2: Elle espérait que tu capitulasses. (She hoped that you would surrender.)
Example 3: Nous voulions que vous capitulassiez tous. (We wanted you all to surrender.)

In these examples, the Subjonctif Imparfait tense is used to express a hypothetical situation in the past, where the speaker is unsure if the action was actually carried out. This tense is often used in conjunction with expressions like “je craignais que” (I feared that), “elle espérait que” (she hoped that), and “nous voulions que” (we wanted that).

In these sentences, the use of the Subjonctif Imparfait emphasizes the uncertainty of the action and the speaker’s desires or fears. It is a more polite and indirect way of expressing a request or expectation.

English translations:
Example 1: I feared they would not surrender.
Example 2: She hoped that you would surrender.
Example 3: We wanted you all to surrender.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je capitulasse Si j’avais peur, je capitulasse trop vite. If I were afraid, I would give in too quickly.
tu capitulasses Si tu capitulasses, tu te sentirais coupable. If you gave in, you would feel guilty.
il capitulât Si il capitulât, il serait considéré comme faible. If he gave in, he would be considered weak.
elle capitulât Si elle capitulât, elle perdrait sa fierté. If she gave in, she would lose her pride.
on capitulât Si on capitulât, on serait vaincu. If one gave in, one would be defeated.
nous capitulassions Si nous capitulassions, nous mettrions fin à la lutte. If we gave in, we would end the fight.
vous capitulassiez Si vous capitulassiez, vous auriez honte. If you gave in, you would be ashamed.
ils capitulassent S’ils capitulassent, ils regretteraient leur décision. If they gave in, they would regret their decision.
elles capitulassent Si elles capitulassent, elles ne gagneraient pas. If they gave in, they would not win.

Other Conjugations for Capituler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb capituler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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