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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb carapater

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The English translation of the French verb carapater is “to run away” or “to flee.” It is pronounced as “ka-ra-pa-te.”

The word carapater comes from the Old French word “escarapater,” which means “to run away quickly.” It is derived from the noun “carapace,” meaning “shell” or “armor,” which is often used to describe the hard protective covering of certain animals.

In everyday French, carapater is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is commonly used to express a desire or wish, as well as doubt or uncertainty.

  1. J’aimerais que tu carapates avant qu’il ne te voie. (I wish you would run away before he sees you.)

  2. Il fallait que je carapatasse pour ne pas me faire attraper. (I had to run away to avoid getting caught.)

  3. Elle craignait que les oiseaux ne carapatent à cause de ses cris. (She was afraid the birds would run away because of her screams.)

  4. I wish you would run away before he sees you.

  5. I had to run away to avoid getting caught.

  6. She was afraid the birds would run away because of her screams.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je carapataisse Si j’avais plus de courage, je carapataisse. If I had more courage, I would run away.
tu carapataisses Si tu n’écoutais pas, tu carapataisses encore. If you didn’t listen, you would still run away.
il carapataît Il serait plus rapide s’il carapataît. He would be faster if he ran away.
elle carapataît Elle ne trahirait pas si elle carapataît. She wouldn’t betray if she ran away.
on carapataît Si on carapataît assez vite, on pourrait partir. If one ran away fast enough, one could leave.
nous carapataissions Si nous carapataissions ensemble, nous aurions plus de chances. If we ran away together, we would have a better chance.
vous carapataissiez Si vous carapataissiez plus longtemps, vous auriez peur. If you ran away longer, you would be scared.
ils carapataient S’ils carapataient mieux, ils auraient échappé. If they ran away better, they would have escaped.
elles carapataient Si elles carapataient maintenant, elles seraient loin. If they ran away now, they would be far away.

Other Conjugations for Carapater.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb carapater
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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