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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb commander

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The English translation of the French verb commander is “to order” or “to command.” The infinitive form of commander is pronounced koh-mahn-deh.

The word commander comes from the Latin word “commendare,” which means “to entrust or commit.” It entered the French language in the 12th century and was originally used in a military context, but it has since expanded to include other forms of authority and leadership.

In everyday French, the Subjonctif Imparfait tense is used to express an action that is uncertain, desired, or hypothetical in the past. It is often used in subordinate clauses after certain expressions, such as “il faut que” (it is necessary that) or “je souhaite que” (I wish that).

Here are three simple examples of commander in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je le commandasse. (I had to order him.)
  2. Nous souhaiterions que vous nous commandiez. (We would like you to order us.)
  3. J’aurais préféré que tu ne me commandasses pas de faire ça. (I would have preferred if you didn’t order me to do that.)

English translations:

  1. I had to order him.
  2. We would like you to order us.
  3. I would have preferred if you didn’t order me to do that.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je commandasse Si j’avais de l’argent, je commandasse plus de nourriture. If I had money, I would order more food.
tu commandasses Si tu venais, tu commandasses un plat pour moi. If you came, you would order a dish for me.
il commandât Il serait content si il commandât son propre menu. He would be happy if he ordered his own menu.
elle commandât Elle serait ravie si elle commandât un dessert. She would be delighted if she ordered a dessert.
on commandât Si on commandât maintenant, on n’aurait pas à attendre plus tard. If one ordered now, one wouldn’t have to wait later.
nous commandassions Si nous commandassions ensemble, on pourrait partager. If we ordered together, we could share.
vous commandassiez Si vous commandassiez un vin, je vous conseillerais. If you ordered a wine, I would advise you.
ils commandassent S’ils commandassent des plats différents, on pourrait goûter. If they ordered different dishes, we could taste.
elles commandassent Si elles commandassent moins, on pourrait économiser. If they ordered less, we could save.

Other Conjugations for Commander.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb commander
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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