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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chuchoter

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The English translation of the French verb chuchoter is “to whisper.” It is pronounced as “shoo-sho-tay.”

The word chuchoter comes from the Latin word “susurrare” meaning “to whisper.” It is most commonly used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu chuchotasses pour ne pas réveiller le bébé. – I wished that you whispered so as not to wake up the baby.
  2. Il fallait que nous chuchotions pour ne pas être entendus. – We had to whisper so as not to be heard.
  3. Je préférais que vous chuchotiez pour ne pas déranger les autres. – I preferred that you whispered so as not to disturb others.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je chuchotasse Si j’étais seul, je chuchotasse pour ne pas être entendu. If I were alone, I would whisper so as not to be heard.
tu chuchotasses Tu chuchotasses pour ne pas déranger les autres. You would whisper so as not to bother others.
il chuchotât Il serait surpris si il chuchotât à haute voix devant tout le monde. He would be surprised if he whispered out loud in front of everyone.
elle chuchotât Elle chuchotât des secrets à ses amis. She would whisper secrets to her friends.
on chuchotât Si on chuchotât plus bas, on ne se ferait pas remarquer. If one whispered lower, one would not get noticed.
nous chuchotassions Si nous chuchotassions ensemble, nous ne serions pas entendus. If we whispered together, we wouldn’t be heard.
vous chuchotassiez Si vous chuchotassiez souvent, vous vous fatigueriez les cordes vocales. If you whispered often, you would strain your vocal cords.
ils chuchotassent S’ils chuchotassent devant le professeur, ils se feraient punir. If they whispered in front of the teacher, they would get punished.
elles chuchotassent Si elles chuchotassent au téléphone, elles risqueraient d’éveiller des soupçons. If they whispered on the phone, they would risk arousing suspicion.

Other Conjugations for Chuchoter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chuchoter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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