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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb coïncider

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The English translation of the French verb coïncider is “to coincide.” It is pronounced “kwa(n)-see-dey” in the infinitive form.

The word coïncider comes from the Latin word “coincidere,” which means “to happen at the same time.” In everyday French, coïncider is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain situation in the past.

  1. Je voulais partir à 9 heures mais mon réveil n’a pas sonné, j’aurais pu coïncider avec l’accident sur l’autoroute. (I wanted to leave at 9 o’clock but my alarm didn’t go off, I could have coincided with the accident on the highway.)

  2. Si j’avais pris le train plus tôt, je n’aurais pas pu coïncider avec la grève des cheminots. (If I had taken the train earlier, I wouldn’t have coincided with the railway workers’ strike.)

  3. Il fallait que je sois au bon endroit à la bonne heure pour coïncider avec la remise du prix. (I had to be in the right place at the right time to coincide with the award ceremony.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je coïncidasse Si j’avais le temps, je coïncidasse avec toi. If I had the time, I would coincide with you.
tu coïncidasses Si tu étais disponible, tu coïncidasses avec moi. If you were available, you would coincide with me.
il coïncidât Il serait surpris si il coïncidât avec nous. He would be surprised if he coincided with us.
elle coïncidât Elle serait ravie si elle coïncidât avec lui. She would be delighted if she coincided with him.
on coïncidât Si on coïncidât, ça serait un miracle. If one coincided, it would be a miracle.
nous coïncidassions Si nous coïncidassions plus souvent, ça serait plus facile. If we coincided more often, it would be easier.
vous coïncidassiez Si vous coïncidassiez avec nos dates, nous pourrions vous rejoindre. If you coincided with our dates, we could join you.
ils coïncidassent S’ils coïncidassent avec notre horaire, ça serait parfait. If they coincided with our schedule, it would be perfect.
elles coïncidassent Si elles coïncidassent avec nos intérêts, nous serions amis. If they coincided with our interests, we would be friends.

Other Conjugations for Coïncider.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb coïncider
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Coïncider – 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.

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