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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb carter

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The English translation of the French verb carter is “to cart” or “to transport.” The infinitive form of carter is pronounced “kar-tay.”

The word “carter” comes from the Latin word “carrus,” meaning “cart” or “wagon.” It first appeared in the French language in the 16th century and was used to refer to the person responsible for transporting goods using a cart or wagon.

In everyday French, the verb carter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is commonly used in conjunction with other verbs to express a condition or possibility.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je car tasse les marchandises avant que la pluie n’arrive. (I had to cart the goods before the rain arrived.)
  2. J’aurais aimé que tu me car tes en voiture jusqu’à la ville. (I wish you had carted me by car to the town.)
  3. Si j’étais resté plus longtemps, je t’aurais aidé à car ter les meubles dans le camion. (If I had stayed longer, I would have helped you cart the furniture into the truck.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cartasse Si j’avais plus d’argent, je cartasse dans tous les magasins. If I had more money, I would shop in all the stores.
tu cartasses Si tu cartasses plus souvent, tu aurais plus de choix. If you shopped more often, you would have more options.
il cartât Il serait plus satisfait si il cartât moins cher. He would be more satisfied if he shopped for less.
elle cartât Elle serait plus heureuse si elle cartât en ligne. She would be happier if she shopped online.
on cartât Si on cartât plus intelligemment, on économiserait plus. If one shopped more intelligently, one would save more.
nous cartassions Si nous cartassions en groupe, nous profiterions des rabais. If we shopped as a group, we would benefit from discounts.
vous cartassiez Si vous cartassiez pour moi, je vous paierais en retour. If you shopped for me, I would pay you back.
ils cartassent S’ils cartassent plus tôt, ils auraient plus de choix. If they shopped earlier, they would have more options.
elles cartassent Si elles cartassent ensemble, elles passeraient plus de temps en famille. If they shopped together, they would spend more time with family.

Other Conjugations for Carter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb carter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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