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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb communiquer

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The English translation of the French verb communiquer is “to communicate.” It is pronounced as “kuh-moo-nee-kay.”

The verb communiquer is derived from the Latin word “communicare,” which means “to share, impart, or participate in.” In everyday French, communiquer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is typically used after certain triggering expressions such as “il est possible que” (it is possible that), “il est important que” (it is important that), or “il était nécessaire que” (it was necessary that).

Here are 3 simple examples of the usage of communiquer in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il était nécessaire que nous communiquions avec nos clients pour les tenir informés des changements. (It was necessary for us to communicate with our clients to keep them informed of the changes.)
  2. Il était possible que le téléphone ne fonctionne pas, donc il fallait que nous communiquions par email. (It was possible that the phone wasn’t working, so we had to communicate through email.)
  3. Il était important que tu communiques clairement avec ton équipe pour éviter toute confusion. (It was important for you to communicate clearly with your team to avoid any confusion.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je communiquasse Si j’étais plus sociable, je communiquasse plus avec les gens. If I were more sociable, I would communicate more with people.
tu communiquasses Si tu étais plus disponible, tu communiquasses plus souvent avec moi. If you were more available, you would communicate with me more often.
il communiquât Il serait content si il communiquât ses sentiments. He would be happy if he communicated his feelings.
elle communiquât Elle serait surprise si elle communiquât ses idées. She would be surprised if she communicated her ideas.
on communiquât Si on communiquât mieux, on comprendrait mieux. If one communicated better, one would understand better.
nous communiquassions Si nous communiquassions nos opinions, nous pourrions trouver une solution. If we communicated our opinions, we could find a solution.
vous communiquassiez Si vous communiquassiez avec respect, vous auriez plus d’impact. If you communicated with respect, you would have more impact.
ils communiquassent S’ils communiquassent plus clairement, je pourrais les aider. If they communicated more clearly, I could help them.
elles communiquassent Si elles communiquassent leurs problèmes, nous pourrions les résoudre ensemble. If they communicated their problems, we could solve them together.

Other Conjugations for Communiquer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb communiquer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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