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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb coffrer

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The English translation of the French verb coffrer is “to box in” or “to put in a box.” It is pronounced “koh-FREH.”

The word coffrer comes from the Old French word “cofre,” meaning “coffer” or “chest.” It is most often used in everyday French to mean “to put something in a confined space” or “to enclose something.”

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

  1. Il fallait que je coffre mes affaires avant de partir en voyage. (I had to box in my belongings before leaving on my trip.)
  2. Si tu avais coffré tes livres, tu n’aurais pas perdu ta bibliothèque lors du déménagement. (If you had put your books in a box, you wouldn’t have lost your library during the move.)
  3. Nous cherchions une solution pour coffrer les marchandises et les protéger du vol. (We were looking for a solution to box in the goods and protect them from theft.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je coffrasse Si je l’avais vu, je coffrasse toutes mes affaires. If I had seen it, I would have packed all my things.
tu coffrasses Si tu partais plus tôt, tu coffrasses tout de suite. If you left earlier, you would pack right away.
il coffrât Il serait content si il coffrât sa valise à temps. He would be happy if he packed his suitcase on time.
elle coffrât Elle serait surprise si elle coffrât rapidement. She would be surprised if she packed quickly.
on coffrât Si on coffrât ensemble, ça serait plus rapide. If one packed together, it would be faster.
nous coffrassions Si nous coffrassions nos bagages, nous partirions plus vite. If we packed our bags, we would leave faster.
vous coffrassiez Si vous coffrassiez vos affaires, vous ne les oublieriez pas. If you packed your things, you wouldn’t forget them.
ils coffrassent S’ils coffrassent plus tôt, ils ne rateraient pas leur vol. If they packed earlier, they wouldn’t miss their flight.
elles coffrassent Si elles coffrassent ensemble, ça serait plus efficace. If they packed together, it would be more efficient.

Other Conjugations for Coffrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb coffrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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