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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chevaler

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The English translation of the French verb chevaler is “to knight” or “to dub.” The infinitive form, chevaler, is pronounced “shuh-val-ay.”

The word chevaler comes from the Old French word “chevalier,” which means “knight,” and is derived from the Latin word “caballarius,” meaning “horseman.” In everyday French, chevaler is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is the subjunctive imperfect tense.

Example 1: Il fallait que je chevalasse pour faire partie de l’Ordre des Chevaliers. (It was necessary for me to be knighted to become part of the Order of Knights.)

Example 2: Elle souhaitait que son fils se chevalât un jour. (She hoped that her son would one day become a knight.)

Example 3: Il était important que je chevalasse avant de combattre le dragon. (It was important for me to be knighted before fighting the dragon.)

English translations:

  1. I had to be knighted to become part of the Order of Knights.
  2. She hoped that her son would one day become a knight.
  3. It was important for me to be knighted before fighting the dragon.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je chevalasse Si je pouvais, je chevalasse dans la campagne. If I could, I would ride in the countryside.
tu chevalasses Si tu avais un cheval, tu chevalasses tous les jours. If you had a horse, you would ride every day.
il chevalât Il serait heureux si il chevalât dans les montagnes. He would be happy if he rode in the mountains.
elle chevalât Elle serait fière si elle chevalât en compétition. She would be proud if she rode in a competition.
on chevalât Si on chevalât ensemble, on aurait beaucoup de plaisir. If one rode together, one would have a lot of fun.
nous chevalassions Si nous chevalassions plus souvent, nous serions en forme. If we rode more often, we would be fit.
vous chevalassiez Si vous chevalassiez dans les bois, vous verriez beaucoup d’animaux. If you rode in the woods, you would see a lot of animals.
ils chevalassent S’ils chevalassent plus vite, ils gagneraient la course. If they rode faster, they would win the race.
elles chevalassent Si elles chevalassent ensemble, elles formeraient une équipe. If they rode together, they would form a team.

Other Conjugations for Chevaler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chevaler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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