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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb casser

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The English translation of the French verb casser is “to break.” The infinitive form, casser, is pronounced “kah-say.”

The language origin of casser can be traced back to the Latin word “quassare,” meaning “to shatter” or “to break into pieces.” In modern everyday French, casser is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is typically used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three simple examples of how casser is used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que tu casses cette assiette. (It was necessary for you to break this plate.)

  2. J’aurais aimé que nous ne cassions pas cette tradition familiale. (I would have liked for us to not break this family tradition.)

  3. Si j’avais été là, je ne crois pas que j’aurais cassé le vase. (If I had been there, I don’t think I would have broken the vase.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cassasse Je serais très en retard si je cassasse mon téléphone. I would be very late if I broke my phone.
tu cassasses Si tu cassasses cette règle, tu serais puni. If you broke this rule, you would be punished.
il cassât Il serait triste si il cassât le vase. He would be sad if he broke the vase.
elle cassât Elle serait fâchée si elle cassât son crayon préféré. She would be angry if she broke her favorite pencil.
on cassât Si on cassât cette porte, on devrait la réparer. If one broke this door, one would have to fix it.
nous cassassions Si nous cassassions moins de choses, nous économiserions de l’argent. If we broke less things, we would save money.
vous cassassiez Si vous cassassiez la vaisselle, vous devriez en racheter. If you broke the dishes, you would have to buy more.
ils cassassent S’ils cassassent la fenêtre, ils auraient des ennuis. If they broke the window, they would get in trouble.
elles cassassent Si elles cassassent le vase, elles devraient le remplacer. If they broke the vase, they would have to replace it.

Other Conjugations for Casser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb casser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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