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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chicaner

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The English translation of the French verb chicaner is “to quibble” or “to nitpick.” It can also mean “to argue” or “to bicker.”

The infinitive form of chicaner is pronounced as “shee-ka-nay.”

The word chicaner comes from the French noun “chicane,” which means “quarrel” or “dispute.” It is believed to have originated from the Old French word “chiquer,” meaning to “quarrel” or “wrangle.” The word has been used in French since the 13th century.

In everyday French, chicaner is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is used to convey doubts, wishes, or desires.

Examples of chicaner in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Je ne voulais pas qu’il chicanât mes décisions. (I didn’t want him to quibble about my decisions.)

  2. Il était important que nous ne chicanions pas sur les détails. (It was important that we didn’t nitpick about the details.)

  3. Je souhaitais qu’elle ne chicanât pas avec moi pendant le voyage. (I wished she wouldn’t argue with me during the trip.)

English translations:

  1. I didn’t want him to quibble about my decisions.
  2. It was important that we didn’t nitpick about the details.
  3. I wished she wouldn’t argue with me during the trip.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je chicanasse Si je n’avais pas raison, je chicanasse tout le temps. If I were not right, I would always nag.
tu chicanasses Si tu me comprenais, tu chicanasses moins. If you understood me, you would nag less.
il chicanât Il serait plus agréable si il chicanât moins. It would be more pleasant if he nagged less.
elle chicanât Elle serait plus rapide si elle chicanât moins. She would be faster if she nagged less.
on chicanât Si on chicanât moins, on serait plus détendu. If one nagged less, one would be more relaxed.
nous chicanassions Si nous ne chicanassions pas, nous nous entendrions mieux. If we didn’t nag, we would get along better.
vous chicanassiez Si vous chicanassiez moins, vous seriez plus tolérants. If you nagged less, you would be more tolerant.
ils chicanassent S’ils n’avaient pas peur, ils chicanassent plus. If they were not afraid, they would nag more.
elles chicanassent Si elles chicanassent ensemble, ça serait épuisant. If they nagged together, it would be exhausting.

Other Conjugations for Chicaner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chicaner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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