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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb capturer

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The English translation of the French verb capturer is “to capture.” It is pronounced “kahp-too-ray” in the infinitive form.

The verb capturer is derived from the Latin word “captūra” which means “catch” or “capture.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of capturer in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense and their English translations are:

  1. Il fallait que je le capturasse avant qu’il ne s’enfuie. (I had to capture him before he escaped.)

  2. Je doute qu’ils aient capturé le voleur hier soir. (I doubt they captured the thief last night.)

  3. Si tu avais capturé la bête, tu aurais été un héros. (If you had captured the beast, you would have been a hero.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je capturasse Si j’étais un espion, je capturasse tous les criminels. If I were a spy, I would capture all the criminals.
tu capturasses Si tu apprenais à te battre, tu capturasses mieux tes ennemis. If you learned to fight, you would capture your enemies better.
il capturât Il serait content si il capturât toutes les cibles. He would be happy if he captured all the targets.
elle capturât Elle serait surprise si elle capturât le voleur. She would be surprised if she captured the thief.
on capturât Si on capturât toutes les preuves, on pourrait condamner le coupable. If one captured all the evidence, they could convict the guilty party.
nous capturassions Si nous capturassions l’ennemi, nous gagnerions la guerre. If we captured the enemy, we would win the war.
vous capturassiez Si vous capturassiez plus de photos, vous auriez un meilleur souvenir. If you took more photos, you would have a better memory.
ils capturassent S’ils capturassent le monstre, ils seraient considérés comme des héros. If they captured the monster, they would be considered heroes.
elles capturassent Si elles capturassent des animaux sauvages, elles seraient en danger. If they captured wild animals, they would be in danger.

Other Conjugations for Capturer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb capturer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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