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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb caracoler

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The English translation of the French verb caracoler is “to prance” or “to gallop”. It is pronounced as /ka.ra.ko.le/.

Caracoler comes from the Old Italian word “caracolare”, which means “to walk on stilts”. It was first used in French in the 15th century and has since evolved to mean “to move in a lively or showy manner”.

In everyday French, caracoler is most commonly used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or unreal action in the past. It is often used to express a desire or wish that did not come true.

Example 1: Je souhaitais que tu caracolasses sur la plage avec moi. (I wished that you would prance on the beach with me.)

Example 2: Il fallait que les chevaux caracolassent pour impressionner le public. (The horses had to prance to impress the audience.)

Example 3: Elle aurait aimé que son père caracolât avec elle lors des soirées dansantes. (She would have liked her father to prance with her at the dance parties.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je caracolasse Je ferais du cheval si je caracolasse bien. I would ride horses if I rode well.
tu caracolasses Si tu avais un cheval, tu caracolasses tous les jours. If you had a horse, you would ride every day.
il caracolât Si il était un cheval, il caracolât avec grâce. If he were a horse, he would prance gracefully.
elle caracolât Elle ferait une belle danseuse si elle caracolât mieux. She would be a great dancer if she pranced better.
on caracolât Si on caracolât plus souvent, on serait plus en forme. If one pranced more often, one would be in better shape.
nous caracolassions Si nous caracolassions ensemble, ça serait amusant. If we pranced together, it would be fun.
vous caracolassiez Si vous caracolassiez plus, vous seriez meilleurs cavaliers. If you pranced more, you would be better riders.
ils caracolassent S’ils caracolassent plus lentement, je serais moins fatigué. If they pranced more slowly, I would be less tired.
elles caracolassent Si elles caracolassent en compétition, elles gagneraient. If they pranced in competition, they would win.

Other Conjugations for Caracoler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb caracoler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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