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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cloisonner

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The English translation of the French verb cloisonner is “to compartmentalize.” It is pronounced as “kloizɔne” in the infinitive form.

The word cloisonner comes from the Old French word “cloison,” which means “partition” or “compartment.” It is derived from the Latin word “claudere,” which means “to close” or “to shut.” In everyday French, cloisonner is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a possibility, hypothesis, or uncertainty in the past.

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je cloisonne mes émotions pour garder mon calme. (I had to compartmentalize my emotions to stay calm.)

  2. Je préférais que tu cloisonnes ton travail et que tu te concentres sur une tâche à la fois. (I preferred that you compartmentalize your work and focus on one task at a time.)

  3. Il aurait fallu que nous cloisonnions nos dépenses pour économiser de l’argent. (We should have compartmentalized our expenses to save money.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cloisonnasse Si j’étais architecte, je cloisonnasse la pièce. If I were an architect, I would partition the room.
tu cloisonnasses Si tu avais une maison, tu cloisonnasses la cuisine. If you had a house, you would separate the kitchen.
il cloisonnât Il serait mieux si il cloisonnât les espaces de travail. It would be better if he partitioned the work spaces.
elle cloisonnât Elle serait plus organisée si elle cloisonnât sa chambre. She would be more organized if she partitioned her room.
on cloisonnât Si on cloisonnât plus, on aurait plus d’intimité. If one partitioned more, one would have more privacy.
nous cloisonnassions Si nous cloisonnassions la salle de réunion, elle serait plus fonctionnelle. If we partitioned the meeting room, it would be more functional.
vous cloisonnassiez Si vous cloisonnassiez le bureau, il y aurait moins de bruit. If you partitioned the office, there would be less noise.
ils cloisonnassent S’ils cloisonnassent la pièce, elle serait plus spacieuse. If they partitioned the room, it would be more spacious.
elles cloisonnassent Si elles cloisonnassent l’espace, elles pourraient travailler en paix. If they partitioned the space, they could work in peace.

Other Conjugations for Cloisonner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cloisonner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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