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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chantonner

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The English translation of chantonner is “to hum” or “to sing softly.” It is pronounced “shahn-ton-ay.”

Chantonner comes from the French word “chanson,” meaning “song,” and the suffix “-onner,” which is often used to create verbs. It is most commonly used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action or state in the past.

Examples:

  1. J’aurais aimé que tu chantonnes avec moi. (I would have liked for you to hum/sing softly with me.)
  2. Il fallait que je chantonne pour me calmer. (I had to hum/sing softly to calm myself down.)
  3. Nous préférions qu’elle chantonât plutôt que de parler. (We preferred for her to hum/sing softly rather than talk.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je chantonasse Si j’étais un oiseau, je chantonasse toute la journée. If I were a bird, I would sing all day.
tu chantonasses Si tu m’accompagnais, tu chantonasses avec moi. If you came with me, you would sing with me.
il chantonât Il se sentirait mieux s’il chantonât plus souvent. He would feel better if he sang more often.
elle chantonât Si elle chantonât plus fort, elle pourrait être entendue. If she sang louder, she could be heard.
on chantonât Si on chantonât plus joyeusement, on aurait plus d’énergie. If one sang more joyfully, one would have more energy.
nous chantonassions Si nous chantonassions ensemble, ça serait amusant. If we sang together, it would be fun.
vous chantonassiez Si vous vous entraîniez, vous chantonassiez mieux. If you practiced, you would sing better.
ils chantonassent S’ils chantonassent plus lentement, je comprendrais mieux. If they sang more slowly, I would understand better.
elles chantonassent Si elles chantonassent plus fort, ça serait bruyant. If they sang louder, it would be noisy.

Other Conjugations for Chantonner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chantonner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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