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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cercler

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The English translation of the French verb cercler is “to encircle” or “to circle.” The infinitive form, cercler, is pronounced as “sehr-kleh.”

The word cercler comes from the Latin word “circulus,” meaning “circle.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or unreal action in the past. This tense is typically used in subordinate clauses, introduced by the conjunctions “que” or “si,” after certain verbs or expressions.

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

  1. Il voulait que je cerclasse le jardin de fleurs. (He wanted me to encircle the garden with flowers.)
  2. Si j’avais eu plus de temps, j’aurais cerclé le monde de mes voyages. (If I had more time, I would have circled the world with my travels.)
  3. Elle souhaitait que nous cerclions nos bras autour d’elle. (She wished for us to encircle our arms around her.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cerclasse Je dessinerais des cercles si je cerclasse mieux. I would draw circles if I circled better.
tu cerclasses Si tu cerclasses plus vite, tu finirais plus tôt. If you circled faster, you would finish earlier.
il cerclât Il serait plus précis s’il cerclât soigneusement. He would be more precise if he circled carefully.
elle cerclât Elle apprendrait plus vite si elle cerclât plus souvent. She would learn faster if she circled more often.
on cerclât Si on cerclât mieux, on gagnerait plus de temps. If one circled better, one would save more time.
nous cerclassions Si nous cerclassions ensemble, nous serions plus efficaces. If we circled together, we would be more efficient.
vous cerclassiez Si vous cerclassiez plus régulièrement, vous seriez plus précis. If you circled more regularly, you would be more precise.
ils cerclassent Si ils cerclassent à leur rythme, ils finiront plus tard. If they circled at their own pace, they would finish later.
elles cerclassent Si elles cerclassent en équipe, elles auraient plus de motivation. If they circled as a team, they would have more motivation.

Other Conjugations for Cercler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cercler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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