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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cémenter

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of cémenter. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb cémenter is “to cement” or “to solidify.” It is pronounced as “sə.mɑ̃.te” in the infinitive form.

The origin of the word cémenter can be traced back to the Latin word “cementum,” which means “stone chips” or “broken stone,” and was used to refer to a type of mortar used in construction. In everyday French, cémenter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a verb tense used to express hypothetical or uncertain actions in the past.

Here are three simple examples of cémenter used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je cémentasse les briques pour qu’elles ne s’effondrent pas. (I had to cement the bricks so that they wouldn’t collapse.)
  2. Nous préférions que la situation se cémentât avant de prendre une décision. (We preferred that the situation solidified before making a decision.)
  3. Les enfants avaient peur qu’on les cémentât dans le sous-sol. (The children were afraid that they would be cemented in the basement.)

In these examples, cémenter is used to express the idea of making something solid or firm, whether it be building materials, a situation, or even people.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cémentasse Si j’étais maçon, je cémentasse les murs. If I were a mason, I would cement the walls.
tu cémentasses Si tu n’étais pas si paresseux, tu cémentasses plus vite. If you weren’t so lazy, you would cement faster.
il cémentât Il serait heureux si il cémentât bien le béton. He would be happy if he cemented the concrete well.
elle cémentât Elle serait satisfaite si elle cémentât avec précision. She would be satisfied if she cemented with precision.
on cémentât Si on cémentât les fondations plus profondément, la maison serait plus stable. If one cemented the foundations deeper, the house would be more stable.
nous cémentassions Si nous cémentassions ensemble, les travaux seraient plus rapides. If we cemented together, the work would be faster.
vous cémentassiez Si vous cémentassiez plus souvent, vous auriez moins de problèmes. If you cemented more often, you would have less problems.
ils cémentassent S’ils cémentassent correctement, ils n’auraient pas à recommencer. If they cemented properly, they wouldn’t have to start over.
elles cémentassent Si elles cémentassent leurs relations, ça serait plus solide. If they cemented their relationships, it would be stronger.

Other Conjugations for Cémenter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cémenter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the cémenter Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts