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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chapitrer

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The English translation of the French verb chapitrer is “to scold” or “to reprimand.” It is pronounced “shah-pee-tray.”

The language origin of chapitrer can be traced back to the Latin word “capitulum,” meaning “chapter” or “heading.” In medieval times, this verb was used to describe the act of reprimanding someone during a religious chapter meeting.

In modern French, chapitrer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is commonly used in everyday language to express a reproach or criticism.

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

  1. Il fallait que je te chapitre pour ton comportement irresponsable. (I had to scold you for your irresponsible behavior.)
  2. Si elle n’avait pas menti, je ne l’aurais pas chapitrée. (If she hadn’t lied, I wouldn’t have reprimanded her.)
  3. Nous aurions dû chapitrer nos enfants pour leur mauvaise conduite. (We should have scolded our children for their bad behavior.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je chapitrasse Si j’étais écrivain, je chapitrasse toutes les semaines. If I were a writer, I would write chapters every week.
tu chapitrasses Si tu lisais plus, tu chapitrasses plus vite. If you read more, you would write chapters faster.
il chapitrât Il serait satisfait si il chapitrât avec rigueur. He would be satisfied if he wrote chapters with rigor.
elle chapitrât Elle serait passionnée si elle chapitrât tous les jours. She would be passionate if she wrote chapters every day.
on chapitrât Si on chapitrât en équipe, ça serait plus efficace. If one wrote chapters as a team, it would be more efficient.
nous chapitrassions Si nous chapitrassions ensemble, nous avancerions plus vite. If we wrote chapters together, we would progress faster.
vous chapitrassiez Si vous chapitrassiez plus régulièrement, vous auriez plus de succès. If you wrote chapters more regularly, you would have more success.
ils chapitrassent S’ils chapitrassent moins longtemps, ils auraient plus de temps libre. If they wrote chapters for less time, they would have more free time.
elles chapitrassent Si elles chapitrassent plus clairement, je comprendrais mieux. If they wrote chapters more clearly, I would understand better.

Other Conjugations for Chapitrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chapitrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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