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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb coïter

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The English translation of the French verb coïter is “to copulate” or “to have sexual intercourse.” It is pronounced “kwa-tey.”

Coïter originates from the Latin word “coitare,” meaning “to go together” or “to come together.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il fallait que nous coïtions en silence. (It was necessary for us to copulate in silence.)
  2. Je souhaitais que vous coïtiez plus souvent avec votre partenaire. (I wished that you would have sexual intercourse more often with your partner.)
  3. Elle aurait aimé que son amoureux et elle coïtassent sous les étoiles. (She would have liked for her lover and her to have sexual intercourse under the stars.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je coïtasse Si j’étais riche, je coïtasse plus souvent. If I were rich, I would have sex more often.
tu coïtasses Si tu aimais plus le sexe, tu coïtasses plus souvent. If you liked sex more, you would have sex more often.
il coïtât Il serait heureux si il coïtât plus souvent. He would be happy if he had sex more often.
elle coïtât Elle serait contente si elle coïtât plus souvent. She would be happy if she had sex more often.
on coïtât Si on coïtât plus souvent, on serait plus heureux. If one had sex more often, one would be happier.
nous coïtassions Si nous coïtassions plus, nous serions plus intimes. If we had sex more, we would be more intimate.
vous coïtassiez Si vous coïtassiez régulièrement, vous seriez plus détendus. If you had sex regularly, you would be more relaxed.
ils coïtassent S’ils coïtassent avec passion, leur relation serait meilleure. If they had sex with passion, their relationship would be better.
elles coïtassent Si elles coïtassent plus souvent, elles auraient plus de plaisir. If they had sex more often, they would have more pleasure.

Other Conjugations for Coïter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb coïter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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