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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb choyer

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The English translation of the French verb choyer is “to pamper” or “to spoil.” It is pronounced “shwah-yey” in the infinitive form.

Choyer comes from the Old French word “choier,” which means “to care for” or “to look after.” It ultimately derives from the Latin word “cogitare,” meaning “to think” or “to consider.”

In everyday French, choyer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a desire or wish for something to be pampered or spoiled. It is often used in a formal or polite context, as the Subjonctif Imparfait tense is considered more formal than other tenses.

Examples:

  1. Il fallait que tu me choyasses davantage. (I wish you had pampered me more.)
  2. Je voulais qu’elle nous choyât comme des princes. (I wanted her to spoil us like princes.)
  3. Il était important que vous les choyassiez pour les faire rester. (It was important for you to pamper them to make them stay.)

English translations:

  1. Il fallait que tu me choyasses davantage. – I wish you had pampered me more.
  2. Je voulais qu’elle nous choyât comme des princes. – I wanted her to spoil us like princes.
  3. Il était important que vous les choyassiez pour les faire rester. – It was important for you to pamper them to make them stay.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je choyasse Si j’étais riche, je choyasse ma famille. If I were rich, I would spoil my family.
tu choyasses Si tu étais à la retraite, tu choyasses tes petits-enfants. If you were retired, you would spoil your grandchildren.
il choyât Il serait heureux si il choyât sa femme. He would be happy if he pampered his wife.
elle choyât Elle serait ravie si elle choyât son chat. She would be delighted if she spoiled her cat.
on choyât Si on choyât davantage notre santé, on serait en meilleure forme. If one took better care of our health, we would be in better shape.
nous choyassions Si nous choyassions nos amis, nos amitiés seraient plus solides. If we spoiled our friends, our friendships would be stronger.
vous choyassiez Si vous choyassiez moins, vous économiseriez de l’argent. If you spoiled less, you would save money.
ils choyassent S’ils choyassent leurs employés, leur productivité serait meilleure. If they spoiled their employees, their productivity would be better.
elles choyassent Si elles choyassent leurs enfants, ils seraient gâtés. If they spoiled their children, they would be spoiled.

Other Conjugations for Choyer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb choyer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Choyer – 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.

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