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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb claper

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The English translation of the French verb claper is “to clap” or “to applaud”. The infinitive form of claper is pronounced “kla-pey”.

Claper comes from the Old French word “clap” which meant “to make a sudden, loud noise”. It is primarily used in everyday French as a synonym for “applaud” or “clap”.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, claper is used to express a wish or hypothetical action in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense with their English translations:

  1. J’aurais aimé que tu clapas ses performances. (I would have liked for you to applaud his performances.)
  2. Il fallait que nous clapassions pour montrer notre soutien. (We had to clap to show our support.)
  3. Je préférais que les spectateurs ne clapassent pas pendant le discours. (I preferred that the audience didn’t clap during the speech.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je clapasse Si j’étais musicien, je clapasse toute la journée. If I were a musician, I would clap all day long.
tu clapasses Si tu écoutais mieux, tu clapasses plus fort. If you listened better, you would clap louder.
il clapat Il serait plus joyeux si il clapat plus vite. He would be happier if he clapped faster.
elle clapat Elle serait surprise si elle clapat en rythme. She would be surprised if she clapped in rhythm.
on clapat Si on clapat ensemble, on aurait du plaisir. If one clapped together, one would have fun.
nous clapassions Si nous clapassions tous les soirs, on deviendrait meilleurs. If we clapped every evening, we would become better.
vous clapassiez Si vous clapassiez moins souvent, vous seriez moins fatigués. If you clapped less often, you would be less tired.
ils clapassent S’ils clapassent ensemble, la chanson serait plus animée. If they clapped together, the song would be more lively.
elles clapassent Si elles clapassent au même rythme, c’est joli à voir. If they clapped at the same rhythm, it’s lovely to see.

Other Conjugations for Claper.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb claper
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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