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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb colorier

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The English translation of the French verb colorier is “to color”. The infinitive form of colorier is pronounced as “koh-loh-ryeh”.

The word colorier comes from the Latin word “colorare” which means “to color”. It entered the French language in the 15th century.

In everyday French, the verb colorier is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is formed by using the present tense of the verb avoir or être followed by the past participle of the verb, and then adding the appropriate subjunctive ending.

3 examples of colorier in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with English translations are:

  1. Il fallait que je colorie le dessin avant de le montrer à mes parents. (I had to color the drawing before showing it to my parents.)
  2. Je souhaitais que tu colories les fleurs en rouge. (I wished for you to color the flowers in red.)
  3. Elle voulait que nous colorions nos costumes pour le spectacle. (She wanted us to color our costumes for the show.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je coloriasse Si seulement je coloriasse plus souvent. If only I colored more often.
tu coloriasses Si tu coloriasses mieux, tu serais fière. If you colored better, you would be proud.
il coloriât Il serait ravi si il coloriât en dehors de sa zone de confort. He would be delighted if he colored outside of his comfort zone.
elle coloriât Elle serait triste si elle coloriât toujours dans les lignes. She would be sad if she colored always within the lines.
on coloriât Si on coloriât tous ensemble, ça serait joyeux. If we all colored together, it would be joyful.
nous coloriassions Si nous coloriassions cet après-midi, ça serait amusant. If we colored this afternoon, it would be fun.
vous coloriassiez Si vous coloriassiez plus régulièrement, vous seriez meilleurs. If you colored more regularly, you would be better.
ils coloriassent S’ils coloriassent oiseaux, ils les verraient de près. If they colored birds, they would see them up close.
elles coloriassent Si elles coloriassent des fleurs, ça serait beau. If they colored flowers, it would be beautiful.

Other Conjugations for Colorier.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb colorier
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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