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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb clouter

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The English translation of the French verb clouter is “to nail” or “to hit with nails.” The infinitive form, clouter, is pronounced “kloo-tay.”

The word clouter comes from the Old French word “clou” meaning “nail.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a verb tense used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are 3 simple examples of clouter used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu cloutes le tableau. (I wished that you nailed the painting.)
  2. Il fallait que nous cloutions les planches ensemble. (We had to nail the boards together.)
  3. Je préférais que vous cloutiez le toit avant qu’il ne pleuve. (I preferred that you nailed the roof before it rained.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cloutasse Si j’avais des clous, je cloutasse mon étagère. If I had some nails, I would nail my shelf.
tu cloutasses Si tu n’avais pas peur, tu cloutasses cette porte. If you weren’t afraid, you would nail this door.
il cloutât Il serait plus utile si il cloutât ça au mur. It would be more useful if he nailed that to the wall.
elle cloutât Elle serait contente si elle cloutât ses photos. She would be happy if she nailed her pictures.
on cloutât Si on cloutât les planches ensemble, elles ne bougeraient pas. If one nailed the boards together, they wouldn’t move.
nous cloutassions Si nous cloutassions les fenêtres, elles seraient plus solides. If we nailed the windows, they would be more solid.
vous cloutassiez Si vous cloutassiez le toit, il ne coulerait pas. If you nailed the roof, it wouldn’t leak.
ils cloutassent S’ils cloutassent avec plus de précision, ce serait plus beau. If they nailed more precisely, it would be more beautiful.
elles cloutassent Si elles cloutassent en cercles, ça ferait un joli motif. If they nailed in circles, it would make a pretty pattern.

Other Conjugations for Clouter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb clouter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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