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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chiquer

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The English translation of the French verb chiquer is “to chew.” The infinitive form of chiquer is pronounced “shee-kay.”

Chiquer comes from the Old French word “chicher,” meaning “to creak or crack.” It is most often used in everyday French to refer to the action of chewing food.

In the subjonctif imparfait tense, chiquer is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action or state in the past. It is formed by using the present tense form of the verb “avoir” (to have) followed by the past participle “chiqué.”

Three simple examples of chiquer in the subjonctif imparfait tense are:

  1. J’aurais aimé que tu chiquasses plus lentement. (I would have liked for you to chew more slowly.)
  2. Il fallait que nous chiquassions notre nourriture avant de pouvoir l’avaler. (We had to chew our food before being able to swallow it.)
  3. Je préférais que vous chiquassiez avec votre bouche fermée. (I preferred for you to chew with your mouth closed.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je chiquasse Si je pouvais, je chiquasse ton chapeau. If I could, I would nibble on your hat.
tu chiquasses Si tu voulais, tu chiquasses en classe. If you wanted, you would chew gum in class.
il chiquât Il serait furieux si il chiquât encore. He would be furious if he still chewed.
elle chiquât Elle serait déçue si elle chiquât en cachette. She would be disappointed if she chewed in secret.
on chiquât Si on chiquât trop fort, on se ferait mal. If one chewed too hard, one would hurt oneself.
nous chiquassions Si nous chiquassions en équipe, nous serions plus rapides. If we chewed as a team, we would be faster.
vous chiquassiez Si vous chiquassiez moins bruyamment, je pourrais me concentrer. If you chewed less loudly, I could concentrate.
ils chiquassent S’ils chiquassent plus discrètement, on pourrait les oublier. If they chewed more discreetly, one could forget about them.
elles chiquassent Si elles chiquassent ensemble, ça pourrait être amusant. If they chewed together, it could be fun.

Other Conjugations for Chiquer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chiquer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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