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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chantourner

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The English translation of the French verb chantourner is “to make a pattern” or “to carve in relief.” It is pronounced as “shan-toor-nay.”

The word chantourner originates from the French word “chanson” which means song and “tourner” which means to turn. In the past, chantourner referred to the art of carving intricate patterns or designs onto wooden objects, particularly musical instruments. However, it can now also refer to creating patterns or designs in various materials such as metal, fabric, or paper.

In everyday French, the verb chantourner is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is formed by adding the endings -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient to the stem of the verb.

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

1) Si j’avais su chantourner, j’aurais créé une belle œuvre d’art. (If I had known how to make patterns, I would have created a beautiful work of art.)
2) Il fallait que je chantournasse les bords du tissu pour en faire une jolie nappe. (I had to make patterns on the edges of the fabric to make a pretty tablecloth.)
3) Nous préférions que tu chantournasses les motifs sur le métal plutôt que de les peindre. (We preferred that you made patterns on the metal instead of painting them.)

English translations:
1) If I had known how to make patterns, I would have created a beautiful work of art.
2) I had to make patterns on the edges of the fabric to make a pretty tablecloth.
3) We preferred that you made patterns on the metal instead of painting them.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je chantournasse Si j’étais artiste, je chantournasse des sculptures. If I were an artist, I would carve sculptures.
tu chantournasses Si tu pratiquais plus, tu chantournasses des objets plus complexes. If you practiced more, you would carve more complex objects.
il chantournât Il serait fier si il chantournât bien. He would be proud if he carved well.
elle chantournât Elle serait ravie si elle chantournât en bois. She would be delighted if she carved in wood.
on chantournât Si on chantournât des instruments de musique, ça serait intéressant. If one carved musical instruments, it would be interesting.
nous chantournassions Si nous chantournassions ensemble, nous pourrions créer une oeuvre collective. If we carved together, we could create a collective piece.
vous chantournassiez Si vous chantournassiez des meubles, vous pourriez en vendre. If you carved furniture, you could sell it.
ils chantournassent S’ils chantournassent des figures géométriques, ça serait impressionnant. If they carved geometric figures, it would be impressive.
elles chantournassent Si elles chantournassent des animaux, ça serait amusant. If they carved animals, it would be fun.

Other Conjugations for Chantourner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chantourner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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