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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chiner

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The English translation of the French verb chiner is “to hunt for treasures/to go antique hunting”. It is pronounced as “shee-nay”.

The word “chiner” comes from the French word “chine”, which means “china”. In the past, the French word “chine” was often used to refer to any kind of porcelain or ceramic objects, which were highly sought after and considered valuable treasures. Over time, the verb “chiner” emerged to describe the act of searching for and acquiring these treasures.

In everyday French, the verb “chiner” is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical action or a desire in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense:

  1. Je voulais que tu chinasses avec moi ce week-end. (I wanted you to go antique hunting with me this weekend.)

  2. Il fallait que nous chinions dans les brocantes pour trouver un beau cadre. (We had to go hunting for treasures in flea markets to find a beautiful frame.)

  3. Mes parents préféraient que je chinasse plutôt que de passer mon temps devant la télé. (My parents preferred me to go antique hunting instead of spending my time in front of the TV.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je chinasse Si j’avais le temps, je chinasse plus souvent. If I had the time, I would go bargain hunting more often.
tu chinasses Si tu chinasses moins, tu économiserais de l’argent. If you went bargain hunting less, you would save money.
il chinât Il serait content si il chinât un meuble ancien. He would be happy if he found an antique piece of furniture.
elle chinât Elle serait ravie si elle chinât un objet rare. She would be delighted if she found a rare object.
on chinât Si on chinât dans les marchés aux puces, on trouverait des trésors. If one went bargain hunting in flea markets, one would find treasures.
nous chinassions Si nous chinassions ensemble, on pourrait échanger des conseils. If we went bargain hunting together, we could exchange tips.
vous chinassiez Si vous chinassiez plus tôt, vous auriez plus de choix. If you went bargain hunting earlier, you would have more options.
ils chinassent Je serais contente s’ils chinassent avec moi. I would be happy if they went bargain hunting with me.
elles chinassent Si elles chinassent dans cette boutique, elles trouveraient de belles affaires. If they went bargain hunting in this shop, they would find great deals.

Other Conjugations for Chiner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chiner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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