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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chérer

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The English translation of the French verb chérer is “to cherish.” In its infinitive form, it is pronounced “sheh-reh.”

The origin of chérer can be traced back to the Latin word “carus,” which means “dear” or “beloved.” In everyday French, chérer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a mood used to express doubt, desire, or possibility.

Here are three simple examples of chérer being used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their corresponding English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je te chérît comme tu me chérissais.
    (Translation: I had to cherish you as much as you cherished me.)

  2. Je voulais que mes parents chérissent mes choix de carrière.
    (Translation: I wanted my parents to cherish my career choices.)

  3. Il était possible que nous chérissions la même musique.
    (Translation: It was possible that we both cherished the same music.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je chérasse Si j’aimais l’hiver, je chérasse le froid. If I liked winter, I would love the cold.
tu chérasses Si tu étais plus fort, tu chérasses les défis. If you were stronger, you would love challenges.
il chérât Il prendrait des photos si il chérât la vue. He would take pictures if he loved the view.
elle chérât Elle apprendrait si elle chérât la matière. She would learn if she loved the subject.
on chérât Si on chérât les animaux, on les respecterait. If one loved animals, one would respect them.
nous chérassions Si nous chérassions les mêmes choses, nous serions amis. If we loved the same things, we would be friends.
vous chérassiez Si vous chérassiez plus vos proches, vous seriez heureux. If you loved your loved ones more, you would be happy.
ils chérassent S’ils chérassent le travail, ils seraient productifs. If they loved work, they would be productive.
elles chérassent Si elles chérassent le soleil, elles bronzeraint. If they loved the sun, they would tan.

Other Conjugations for Chérer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chérer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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