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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb clouer

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The English translation of the French verb “clouer” is “to nail” or “to hammer”. The infinitive form is pronounced as “klu-ay”.

The word “clouer” comes from the Old French word “clou” meaning “nail”. It can be traced back to the Latin word “clavus” which also means “nail”. In everyday French, “clouer” is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a possibility or a hypothetical action in the past.

  1. J’aurais voulu que tu cloues le tableau au mur. (I would have liked for you to nail the painting to the wall.)

  2. Il fallait que nous clouions les planches avant de les peindre. (We had to nail the planks before painting them.)

  3. Je regrettais que tu ne clouasses pas le tapisserie comme je te l’avais demandé. (I was sorry that you didn’t nail the wallpaper as I had asked you to.)

  4. I would have liked for you to nail the painting to the wall.

  5. We had to nail the planks before painting them.

  6. I was sorry that you didn’t nail the wallpaper as I had asked you to.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je clouasse Si j’avais un marteau, je clouasse tout. If I had a hammer, I would nail everything.
tu clouasses Si tu avais plus de force, tu clouasses plus de planches. If you had more strength, you would nail more boards.
il clouât Il serait plus efficace s’il clouât plus rapidement. He would be more efficient if he nailed faster.
elle clouât Elle serait plus précise si elle clouât droit. She would be more precise if she nailed straight.
on clouât Si on clouât plus fort, ça tiendrait mieux. If one nailed harder, it would hold better.
nous clouassions Si nous clouassions ensemble, ça irait plus vite. If we nailed together, it would go faster.
vous clouassiez Si vous clouassiez moins, vous perdriez moins de clous. If you nailed less, you would lose less nails.
ils clouassent S’ils clouassent mieux, ça serait plus solide. If they nailed better, it would be more solid.
elles clouassent Si elles clouassent plus souvent, elles seraient meilleures. If they nailed more often, they would be better.

Other Conjugations for Clouer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clouer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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