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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb coller

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The English translation of the French verb coller is “to stick” or “to glue.” The infinitive form is pronounced “koh-lay.”

The word coller comes from the Latin word “colligere,” meaning “to gather.” It entered the French language in the 12th century and has remained in use since then.

In everyday French, coller is often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is used after certain conjunctions, such as “si” (if) or “bien que” (although).

Example 1: Si je collais les morceaux ensemble, tout serait réparé.
Translation: If I were to stick the pieces together, everything would be fixed.

Example 2: Nous préférions que tu collais les photos sur la page.
Translation: We would prefer if you were to glue the photos onto the page.

Example 3: Il fallait que je collasse les affiches avant l’ouverture de l’exposition.
Translation: It was necessary that I glue the posters before the opening of the exhibition.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je collasse Si j’avais besoin, je collasse les affiches. If I needed, I would stick the posters.
tu collasses Si tu voulais, tu collasses les papiers ensemble. If you wanted, you would stick the papers together.
il collât Il serait content si il collât proprement. He would be happy if he stuck neatly.
elle collât Elle serait surprise si elle collât sans bulles. She would be surprised if she stuck without bubbles.
on collât Si on ne collât pas les feuilles, on les perdrait. If one didn’t stick the papers, one would lose them.
nous collassions Si nous collassions trop fort, ça se déchirerait. If we stuck too hard, it would rip.
vous collassiez Si vous aviez besoin d’aide, vous collassiez les images. If you needed help, you would stick the pictures.
ils collassent Si ils ne collassent pas à la bonne place, ça va tomber. If they don’t stick in the right place, it will fall.
elles collassent Si elles collassent trop loin, ça ne tiendra pas. If they stick too far, it won’t hold.

Other Conjugations for Coller.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb coller
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Coller – 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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