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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb catéchiser

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The English translation of the French verb catéchiser is “to catechize.”The infinitive form, catéchiser, is pronounced as “ka-teh-shee-zay.”

The language origin of catéchiser comes from the Greek word “katecheo” meaning “to teach orally or by word of mouth.” It entered the French language in the 13th century as a verb meaning “to instruct in the principles of Christianity.” Today, it is still commonly used in a religious context, but can also refer to any type of systematic instruction or education.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, catéchiser is most often used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is formed by combining the subjunctive form of the auxiliary verb “avoir” (aie, aies, ait, ayons, ayez, aient) with the past participle of catéchiser.

Here are 3 simple examples of catéchiser in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je catéchise mes enfants tous les dimanches. (I had to catechize my children every Sunday.)
  2. Il aurait été important que tu catéchises les jeunes avant leur confirmation. (It would have been important for you to catechize the youth before their confirmation.)
  3. Il était nécessaire que le prêtre catéchisât les nouveaux convertis. (It was necessary for the priest to catechize the new converts.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je catéchisasse Si j’étais religieuse, je catéchisasse tous les enfants du village. If I were a nun, I would catechize all the children in the village.
tu catéchisasses Si tu croyais en Dieu, tu catéchisasses avec conviction. If you believed in God, you would catechize with conviction.
il catéchisât Il serait satisfait si il catéchisât correctement. He would be satisfied if he catechized correctly.
elle catéchisât Elle serait dévouée si elle catéchisât avec amour. She would be devoted if she catechized with love.
on catéchisât Si on catéchisât plus tôt, on aurait plus de temps pour jouer. If one catechized earlier, one would have more time to play.
nous catéchisassions Si nous catéchisassions ensemble, ça serait plus amusant. If we catechized together, it would be more fun.
vous catéchisassiez Si vous catéchisassiez plus souvent, vous auriez plus de connaissances. If you catechized more often, you would have more knowledge.
ils catéchisassent S’ils catéchisassent les adultes aussi, ça serait plus utile. If they catechized adults too, it would be more useful.
elles catéchisassent Si elles catéchisassent plus sincèrement, elles auraient plus d’élèves. If they catechized more sincerely, they would have more students.

Other Conjugations for Catéchiser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb catéchiser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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