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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb carcailler

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The English translation of the French verb carcailler is “to cackle” or “to chatter.” The infinitive form is pronounced “kar-kai-yay.”

The word carcailler comes from the Old French word “carcaillier,” which means “to cackle.” It is derived from the Latin word “claquere,” which means “to clap or chatter.” In every day French, carcailler is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain situation in the past.

  1. Je ne pensais pas qu’elle carcaillait pendant la réunion. (I didn’t think she was cackling during the meeting.)

  2. Nous pensions qu’il carcaillait pour nous embêter. (We thought he was cackling to annoy us.)

  3. Il fallait que je ne carcaillasse pas devant les autres. (I had to not cackle in front of the others.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je carcaille Si je me réveillais tôt, je carcaille la journée entière. If I woke up early, I would squawk the whole day.
tu carcailles Si tu étais plus fort, tu carcailles plus fort. If you were stronger, you would squawk louder.
il carcaillât Il serait étonné si il carcaillât pendant des heures. He would be surprised if he squawked for hours.
elle carcaillât Elle serait ennuyée si elle carcaillât sans arrêt. She would be annoyed if she squawked nonstop.
on carcaillât Si on carcaillât plus longtemps, on s’épuiserait. If one squawked for a longer time, one would get exhausted.
nous carcaillions Si nous carcaillions plus haut, nous pourrions être entendus. If we squawked louder, we could be heard.
vous carcailliez Si vous carcailliez moins fort, vous pourriez vous reposer. If you squawked less loudly, you could rest.
ils carcaillent S’ils carcaillent toute la nuit, ils ne dormiront pas. If they squawk all night, they won’t sleep.
elles carcaillent Si elles carcaillent en même temps, ça peut être drôle. If they squawk at the same time, it can be funny.

Other Conjugations for Carcailler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb carcailler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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