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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chiper

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The English translation of the French verb chiper is “to steal.” It is pronounced “shee-pay.”

The word chiper comes from the Old French word “eschipper” meaning “to escape” or “to go away.” Over time, its meaning evolved to refer specifically to the act of stealing.

In everyday French, chiper is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a desire, wish, or possibility in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the conditional tense to express a hypothetical situation.

Here are three examples of chiper in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. J’aurais aimé que tu chipes un peu de pain pour le pique-nique. (I would have liked for you to steal some bread for the picnic.)
  2. Il fallait que tu chipes les clés de la voiture pour partir. (You needed to steal the car keys to leave.)
  3. Nous aurions pu être riches si nous avions chipé cette bague en diamant. (We could have been rich if we had stolen that diamond ring.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je chipasse Avant, je chipasse souvent. Before, I used to steal often.
tu chipasses Si tu chipasses moins, tu serais moins souvent puni. If you stole less, you wouldn’t be punished as often.
il chipât Il n’aimait pas quand il chipât. He didn’t like it when he stole.
elle chipât Elle chipât discrètement. She stole discreetly.
on chipât Si on chipât plus souvent, on serait arrêté. If one stole more often, one would get caught.
nous chipassions Si nous chipassions ensemble, nous serions meilleurs. If we stole together, we would be better.
vous chipassiez Si vous ne chipassiez pas, vous ne seriez pas punis. If you didn’t steal, you wouldn’t be punished.
ils chipassent S’ils chipassent aussi, ils seraient considérés comme des voleurs. If they stole as well, they would be considered thieves.
elles chipassent Si elles chipassent mieux, elles réussiraient mieux. If they stole better, they would succeed better.

Other Conjugations for Chiper.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chiper
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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