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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cliqueter

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The English translation of the French verb cliqueter is “to click” or “to clack.” It is pronounced “klee-kuh-tey.”

The word cliqueter comes from the Old French word “cliquet,” meaning “rattle” or “click.” It is most often used in everyday French to describe the sound of something clicking or clacking, such as the sound of heels on a hard surface or the sound of a lock clicking shut.

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

  1. Il fallait que les talons de ses chaussures cliquetassent sur le sol pour qu’elle se sente élégante. (Her heels had to click on the ground for her to feel elegant.)
  2. Je souhaitais que la serrure cliquetât pour me rassurer avant de m’endormir. (I wished for the lock to click to reassure me before falling asleep.)
  3. Il craignait que le son du clavier de l’ordinateur ne cliquetât trop fort et ne le dérangeât pendant qu’il travaillait. (He was afraid that the sound of the computer keyboard clicking too loudly would disturb him while he was working.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cliquetasse Si j’étais mécanicien, je cliquetasse tous les jours. If I were a mechanic, I would click every day.
tu cliquetasses Si tu étais plus patient, tu cliquetasses moins. If you were more patient, you would click less.
il cliquetât Il serait énervé si il cliquetât souvent. He would be annoyed if he clicked often.
elle cliquetât Elle serait inquiète si elle cliquetât tout le temps. She would be worried if she clicked all the time.
on cliquetât Si on cliquetât plus fort, on entendrait mieux. If one clicked louder, one would hear better.
nous cliquetassions Si nous cliquetassions ensemble, ça serait plus rapide. If we clicked together, it would be faster.
vous cliquetassiez Si vous cliquetassiez moins, vous économiseriez de l’énergie. If you clicked less, you would save energy.
ils cliquetassent S’ils cliquetassent plus lentement, je comprendrais mieux. If they clicked more slowly, I would understand better.
elles cliquetassent Si elles cliquetassent toutes en même temps, ça serait bruyant. If they all clicked at the same time, it would be noisy.

Other Conjugations for Cliqueter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cliqueter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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