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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chanceler

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The English translation of the French verb chanceler is “to waver” or “to falter.” The infinitive form of the verb is pronounced “shan-suh-ley.”

The word chanceler comes from the Old French word “chanceller,” meaning “to sway” or “to totter.” It ultimately originates from the Latin word “cancellare,” which means “to cross out” or “to make void.”

In everyday French, the verb chanceler is most often used in its Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples of chanceler in Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je chancelasse devant l’adversité. (I had to waver in the face of adversity.)
  2. J’aurais aimé que tu ne chancelasses pas dans ta décision. (I wish you hadn’t faltered in your decision.)
  3. Il craignait que le navire ne chancelât sous les vagues. (He feared that the ship would falter under the waves.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je chancelasse Si je doutais, je chancelasse. If I were doubting, I would hesitate.
tu chancelasses J’aimerais que tu chancelasses moins. I wish you would hesitate less.
il chancelât Il serait mieux s’il chancelât pas. It would be better if he didn’t waver.
elle chancelât Elle verrait mieux si elle chancelât moins. She would see better if she didn’t hesitate as much.
on chancelât Si on chancelât moins, on serait plus stable. If one hesitated less, one would be more stable.
nous chancelassions Si nous chancelassions ensemble, nous tomberions. If we hesitated together, we would fall.
vous chancelassiez Si vous chancelassiez devant le danger, vous seriez en sécurité. If you hesitated in front of danger, you would be safe.
ils chancelassent Ils seraient plus confiants s’ils chancelassent moins. They would be more confident if they hesitated less.
elles chancelassent Si elles chancelassent trop, elles tomberaient. If they hesitated too much, they would fall.

Other Conjugations for Chanceler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chanceler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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