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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb compenser

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The English translation of the French verb compenser is “to compensate.” It is pronounced as kɔ̃.sɑ̃.pe.ze (con-san-peh-zay).

The word “compenser” comes from the Latin word “compensare” meaning “to weigh together.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action that took place in the past.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Si j’avais plus d’argent, je compenserais mes dépenses excessives.
    (If I had more money, I would compensate for my excessive expenses.)

  2. Il fallait absolument que tu compenses tes erreurs, sinon tu risquais de perdre ton emploi.
    (It was absolutely necessary for you to compensate for your mistakes, otherwise you could have lost your job.)

  3. Nous cherchions un moyen de compenser les retards de livraison.
    (We were looking for a way to compensate for the delivery delays.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je compensasse Si j’avais de l’argent, je compensasse mes dépenses. If I had money, I would compensate for my expenses.
tu compensasses Si tu travaillais plus, tu compensasses tes erreurs. If you worked more, you would compensate for your mistakes.
il compensât Il serait content si il compensât ses pertes. He would be happy if he compensated for his losses.
elle compensât Elle serait satisfaite si elle compensât ses sacrifices. She would be satisfied if she compensated for her sacrifices.
on compensât Si on travaillait ensemble, on compensât nos différences. If we worked together, we would compensate for our differences.
nous compensassions Si nous compensassions nos lacunes, nous serions plus forts. If we compensated for our shortcomings, we would be stronger.
vous compensassiez Si vous équilibrassiez vos opinions, vous compensassiez vos avis. If you balanced your opinions, you would compensate for your views.
ils compensassent S’ils investissaient plus, ils compensassent leurs risques. If they invested more, they would compensate for their risks.
elles compensassent Si elles offraient plus de services, elles compensassent mieux les clients. If they offered more services, they would compensate for the customers better.

Other Conjugations for Compenser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb compenser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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