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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chamoiser

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The English translation of the French verb chamoiser is “to buff” or “to polish.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “sham-wah-zay.”

The word chamoiser comes from the French noun chamois, which refers to a type of goat-antelope found in the Alps. The chamois’ skin was traditionally used for polishing and shining leather, which is where the verb chamoiser originated from.

In everyday French, chamoiser is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense. This tense is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three simple examples of chamoiser in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je chamoisasse mes chaussures avant d’aller au travail. (I had to buff my shoes before going to work.)
  2. Je souhaitais que tu chamoisasses la voiture avant notre voyage. (I wished you would have polished the car before our trip.)
  3. Il était important que nous chamoisassions bien la table pour le dîner. (It was important for us to buff the table well for dinner.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je chamoisasse J’aimerais que je chamoisasse les chaussures. I would like to chamois the shoes.
tu chamoisasses J’aimerais que tu chamoisasses plus vite. I would like you to chamois faster.
il chamoisât Il serait satisfait si il chamoisât bien. He would be satisfied if he chamois well.
elle chamoisât Elle voudrait que elle chamoisât les vitres. She would like to chamois the windows.
on chamoisât Si on chamoisât tout de suite, on pourrait sortir. If one chamois now, one could go out.
nous chamoisassions Si nous chamoisassions ensemble, ça irait plus vite. If we chamois together, it would go faster.
vous chamoisassiez Si vous chamoisassiez les meubles, ils seraient brillants. If you chamois the furniture, they would be shiny.
ils chamoisassent S’ils chamoisassent mieux, ils auraient moins de tâches. If they chamois better, they would have less stains.
elles chamoisassent Si elles chamoisassent les voitures, elles seraient propres. If they chamois the cars, they would be clean.

Other Conjugations for Chamoiser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chamoiser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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