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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb clisser

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The English translation of the French verb clisser is “to slide” or “to slip.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “klee-seh.”

The origin of the word “clisser” can be traced back to the Latin word “gliscere,” which has the same meaning of sliding or slipping. In everyday French, clisser is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three simple examples of clisser in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their corresponding English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je clisse sur la glace pour atteindre l’autre côté de la rivière.
    (English translation: I had to slide on the ice to reach the other side of the river.)

  2. Je préférais que tu clisses lentement, c’était moins dangereux.
    (English translation: I preferred that you slid slowly, it was less dangerous.)

  3. Nous avions peur qu’ils clissent sur la pente raide.
    (English translation: We were afraid that they would slide on the steep slope.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je clissasse Si je clissasse avec mes amis, je serais plus heureux. If I slid with my friends, I would be happier.
tu clissasses Si tu clissasses plus vite, tu gagnerais la course. If you slid faster, you would win the race.
il clissât Il serait content si il clissât aussi bien que toi. He would be happy if he slid as well as you.
elle clissât Elle serait plus confiante si elle clissât mieux. She would be more confident if she slid better.
on clissât Si on clissât plus souvent, on serait plus en forme. If one slid more often, one would be in better shape.
nous clissassions Si nous clissassions ensemble, ça serait amusant. If we slid together, it would be fun.
vous clissassiez Si vous clissassiez moins bruyamment, ça serait plus calme. If you slid less loudly, it would be calmer.
ils clissassent S’ils clissassent plus doucement, ça serait plus agréable. If they slid more gently, it would be more pleasant.
elles clissassent Si elles clissassent ensemble, ça serait harmonieux. If they slid together, it would be harmonious.

Other Conjugations for Clisser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clisser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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