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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cavaler

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The English translation of the French verb cavaler is “to gallop” or “to run fast”. The infinitive form is pronounced /ka.va.le/ with the stress on the second syllable.

The word cavaler comes from the Latin word “caballus” which means horse. It entered the French language in the 12th century and originally meant “to ride a horse”. Over time, its meaning evolved to refer to any fast movement or action, not just on a horse.

In everyday French, cavaler is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the conjunction “si” (if) to express a condition.

Examples:

  1. Si j’avais su, je serais cavalière dans un concours équestre. (If I had known, I would have been a rider in a horse competition.)
  2. Je rêvais de cavaler sur la plage au coucher du soleil. (I dreamed of galloping on the beach at sunset.)
  3. Il fallait que je cavale pour arriver à l’heure à mon rendez-vous. (I had to run fast to arrive on time for my appointment.)

In all of these examples, cavaler is used to express a past action that is uncertain or hypothetical. It is often used to convey a sense of longing or a missed opportunity.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cavalasse Si j’avais un cheval, je cavalasse tous les jours. If I had a horse, I would ride every day.
tu cavalasses Si tu courais plus, tu cavalasses plus vite. If you ran more, you would ride faster.
il cavalât Il serait plus en forme si il cavalât régulièrement. He would be in better shape if he rode regularly.
elle cavalât Elle pourrait se détendre si elle cavalât sans pression. She could relax if she rode without pressure.
on cavalât Si on cavalât à la montagne, ça serait magnifique. If one rode in the mountains, it would be beautiful.
nous cavalassions Si nous cavalassions ensemble, nous aurions plus de plaisir. If we rode together, we would have more fun.
vous cavalassiez Si vous cavalassiez à la plage, vous bronzerez. If you rode at the beach, you would tan.
ils cavalassent S’ils cavalassent en ville, ils devraient faire attention aux voitures. If they rode in the city, they should watch out for cars.
elles cavalassent Si elles cavalassent plus souvent, elles seraient plus en forme. If they rode more often, they would be in better shape.

Other Conjugations for Cavaler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cavaler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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