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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chanter

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of chanter. 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 chanter is “to sing.” It is pronounced as “shahn-tay” in the infinitive form.

The word chanter comes from the Latin word “cantare,” meaning “to sing.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of chanter in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je chantasse pour le concours de chant. (I had to sing for the singing competition.)
  2. Elle souhaitait que nous chantions ensemble. (She wished for us to sing together.)
  3. Nous voulions que vous chantiez une chanson pour nous. (We wanted you to sing a song for us.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je chantasse Si j’avais du temps, je chantasse tous les jours. If I had time, I would sing every day.
tu chantasses Si tu savais chanter, tu chantasses en public. If you knew how to sing, you would sing in public.
il chantât Il serait heureux si il chantât bien. He would be happy if he sang well.
elle chantât Elle serait contente si elle chantât juste. She would be happy if she sang in tune.
on chantât Si on chantât ensemble, ça serait agréable. If we sang together, it would be pleasant.
nous chantassions Si nous chantassions plus souvent, nous nous amuserions plus. If we sang more often, we would have more fun.
vous chantassiez Si vous chantassiez faux, je vous aiderais. If you sang out of tune, I would help you.
ils chantassent S’ils chantassent mieux, ça serait plus apprécié. If they sang better, it would be more appreciated.
elles chantassent Si elles chantassent en harmonie, ça serait magnifique. If they sang in harmony, it would be beautiful.

Other Conjugations for Chanter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chanter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    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 chanter Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply