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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb combiner

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The English translation of the French verb “combiner” is “to combine.” The infinitive form is pronounced “kohm-bee-nay.”

The word “combiner” originates from the Latin word “combinare” which means “to join together” or “to unite.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. Il fallait que nous combinions nos forces pour réussir. (We had to combine our forces to succeed.)

  2. J’aurais aimé que tu combines tes talents artistiques avec tes études. (I wish you had combined your artistic talents with your studies.)

  3. Elle aurait préféré que nous combinions nos vacances avec celles de nos amis. (She would have preferred us to combine our vacations with our friends.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je combinasse Si je gagnais à la loterie, je combinasse mes vacances. If I won the lottery, I would combine my vacations.
tu combinasses Si tu étudiais plus, tu combinasses mieux tes idées. If you studied more, you would combine your ideas better.
il combinât Si il avait plus de temps, il combinât ses projets. If he had more time, he would combine his projects.
elle combinât Si elle combinât son travail, elle ferait moins d’erreurs. If she combined her work, she would make fewer mistakes.
on combinât Si on combinât nos efforts, on arriverait plus vite. If we combined our efforts, we would arrive faster.
nous combinassions Si nous combinassions nos compétences, nous serions plus efficaces. If we combined our skills, we would be more efficient.
vous combinassiez Si vous combinassiez vos talents, vous feriez un bon travail. If you combined your talents, you would do a good job.
ils combinassent S’ils combinassent leurs ressources, ils auraient plus de succès. If they combined their resources, they would have more success.
elles combinassent Si elles combinassent leurs idées, elles seraient plus créatives. If they combined their ideas, they would be more creative.

Other Conjugations for Combiner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb combiner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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