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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb claveter

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The English translation of the French verb claveter is “to nail” or “to fasten with nails.” It is pronounced as “kla-vet-ay.”

Claveter comes from the Latin word “clavus” meaning “nail” and the suffix “-eter” which is used to form verbs in French. It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a past tense used to express uncertainty or hypothetical actions.

Example 1:
Il fallait que je clavetasse les planches avant de les utiliser.
English translation: I had to nail the planks before using them.

Example 2:
Je voulais que tu clavetasses les étagères pour les renforcer.
English translation: I wanted you to nail the shelves to reinforce them.

Example 3:
Il était important que nous clavetassions bien le cadre pour qu’il soit solide.
English translation: It was important for us to nail the frame well so that it would be strong.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je clavetais Je voudrais que je clavetais plus vite. I wish I could type faster.
tu clavetais Si tu clavetais tout le temps, tu saurais taper sans regarder. If you typed all the time, you would be able to type without looking.
il clavetât Il serait surpris si il clavetât sans fautes. He would be surprised if he typed without mistakes.
elle clavetât Elle aimerait que elle clavetât avec plus de précision. She would like her typing to be more accurate.
on clavetât Si on clavetât plus fort, on taperait plus vite. If one typed harder, one would type faster.
nous clavetions Si nous clavetions plus tard, nous serions fatigués. If we typed later, we would be tired.
vous clavetiez Si vous clavetiez moins, vous feriez moins de fautes. If you typed less, you would make less mistakes.
ils clavetassent S’ils clavetassent ensemble, ça serait plus efficace. If they typed together, it would be more efficient.
elles clavetassent Si elles clavetassent plus vite, ça serait moins ennuyeux. If they typed faster, it would be less boring.

Other Conjugations for Claveter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb claveter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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