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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb compliquer

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The English translation of the French verb compliquer is “to complicate.” It is pronounced as “kom-plee-ke.”

The word compliquer comes from the Latin word “complicare,” meaning “to fold together or intertwine.” In everyday French, it is often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je ne compliquasse pas les choses. (I had to not complicate things.)
  2. Je voulais que tu ne compliquasses pas la situation. (I wanted you to not complicate the situation.)
  3. Il était important que nous ne compliquassions pas les choses. (It was important that we did not complicate things.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je compliquasse Si j’avais plus de temps, je compliquasse encore plus les choses. If I had more time, I would complicate things even more.
tu compliquasses Si tu étais plus organisé, tu compliquasses moins les choses. If you were more organized, you would complicate things less.
il compliquât Il serait surpris si il compliquât les choses trop. He would be surprised if he made things too complicated.
elle compliquât Elle comprendrait mieux si elle compliquât moins les choses. She would understand better if she didn’t complicate things too much.
on compliquât Si on ne compliquât pas tout, ça serait plus facile. If one didn’t complicate everything, it would be easier.
nous compliquassions Si nous ne compliquassions pas nos vies, on serait plus heureux. If we didn’t complicate our lives, we would be happier.
vous compliquassiez Si vous ne compliquassiez pas tout, on pourrait avancer. If you didn’t complicate everything, we could make progress.
ils compliquassent S’ils ne compliquassent pas les choses, ça serait plus simple. If they didn’t complicate things, it would be easier.
elles compliquassent Si elles compliquassent les choses ensemble, ça serait le chaos. If they complicated things together, it would be chaos.

Other Conjugations for Compliquer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb compliquer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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