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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chatonner

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The English translation of the French verb chatonner is “to act like a kitten” or “to playfully frolic.” It is pronounced “sha-toh-ne.”

The language origin of chatonner comes from the French word “chaton,” which means kitten. 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.

Here are three simple examples of chatonner used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. J’aimais quand elle chatonnait dans le jardin. (I liked it when she would playfully frolic in the garden.)
  2. Il fallait qu’ils chatonnent ensemble avant de se coucher. (They had to play like kittens together before going to bed.)
  3. Nous préférions que les enfants chatonnent plutôt que de regarder la télévision. (We preferred that the children would play like kittens rather than watch TV.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je chatonnasse Je serais content si je chatonnasse avec toi. I would be happy if I played with you.
tu chatonnasses Si tu chatonnasses plus souvent, tu aurais plus d’amis. If you played more often, you would have more friends.
il chatonnât Il serait surpris si il chatonnât ainsi. He would be surprised if he played like that.
elle chatonnât Elle serait inquiète si elle chatonnât dans la rue. She would be worried if she played in the street.
on chatonnât Si on chatonnât ensemble, on aurait plus de plaisir. If one played together, one would have more fun.
nous chatonnassions Si nous chatonnassions plus souvent, nous serions moins stressés. If we played more often, we would be less stressed.
vous chatonnassiez Si vous chatonnassiez avec plus d’enfants, ça serait plus amusant. If you played with more children, it would be more fun.
ils chatonnassent S’ils chatonnassent plus calmement, ils ne se disputeraient pas. If they played more calmly, they wouldn’t argue.
elles chatonnassent Si elles chatonnassent toute la journée, elles seraient fatiguées. If they played all day, they would be tired.

Other Conjugations for Chatonner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chatonner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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