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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb comparer

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The English translation of the French verb comparer is “to compare.” The infinitive form is pronounced “kohm-pah-rey.”

The word “comparer” comes from the Latin word “comparare,” meaning “to compare.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action or situation in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the word “si” (if).

  1. Si j’avais su, je t’aurais comparé à mon frère. (If I had known, I would have compared you to my brother.)
  2. On m’a dit que tu avais comparé le vin rouge et le vin blanc. (I was told that you compared the red wine and the white wine.)
  3. Je voulais que tu me comparaisses à ta sœur. (I wanted you to compare me to your sister.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je comparasse J’aurais peur si je comparasse ma vie à la tienne. I would be scared if I compared my life to yours.
tu comparasses Si tu comparasses plus d’options, tu prendrais une meilleure décision. If you compared more options, you would make a better decision.
il comparât Il serait impossible qu’il comparât les deux situations. It would be impossible for him to compare the two situations.
elle comparât Elle aimerait si elle comparât les différents prix. She would like it if she compared the different prices.
on comparât Si on comparât les avantages et les inconvénients, on en serait mieux informé. If one compared the pros and cons, one would be better informed.
nous comparassions Si nous comparassions nos notes, nous pourrions nous aider. If we compared our notes, we could help each other.
vous comparassiez Si vous comparassiez les offres, vous pourriez obtenir un meilleur prix. If you compared the offers, you could get a better price.
ils comparassent S’ils comparassent les tailles, ils trouveraient celle qui leur convient. If they compared sizes, they would find the one that fits them.
elles comparassent Si elles comparassent leurs talents, elles pourraient se compléter. If they compared their talents, they could complement each other.

Other Conjugations for Comparer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb comparer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Comparer – 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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