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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cerner

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The English translation of the French verb cerner is “to surround” or “to encircle.” It is pronounced as “ser-nay” in the infinitive form.

The word cerner comes from the Latin word “cernere,” meaning “to sift” or “to distinguish.” It was first used in the French language in the 12th century and has evolved in meaning over time. In modern French, cerner is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a mood used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples of cerner in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense include:

  1. Il fallait que je cernasse la situation avant de prendre une décision. (I had to understand the situation before making a decision.)
  2. Nous souhaitions que le projet cernât toutes les possibilités. (We wanted the project to encompass all possibilities.)
  3. Il craignait que ses ennemis ne le cernassent de toutes parts. (He feared that his enemies would surround him from every side.)

English translations:

  1. It was necessary for me to understand the situation before making a decision.
  2. We wanted the project to cover all possibilities.
  3. He was afraid that his enemies would encircle him from every side.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cernasse Si j’avais plus de temps, je cernasse mieux. If I had more time, I would understand better.
tu cernasses Si tu te concentres, tu cernasses plus facilement. If you concentrate, you would understand more easily.
il cernât Il serait surpris si il cernât bien le sujet. He would be surprised if he understood the subject well.
elle cernât Elle serait plus efficace si elle cernât plus vite. She would be more efficient if she understood faster.
on cernât Si on cernât les détails, on éviterait les erreurs. If one understood the details, one would avoid mistakes.
nous cernassions Si nous cernassions mieux, nous gagnerions du temps. If we understood better, we would save time.
vous cernassiez Si vous cernassiez le contexte, vous comprendriez mieux. If you understood the context, you would understand better.
ils cernassent S’ils cernassent leurs erreurs, ils s’amélioreraient. If they understood their mistakes, they would improve.
elles cernassent Si elles cernassent les consignes, ça serait plus facile. If they understood the instructions, it would be easier.

Other Conjugations for Cerner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cerner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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