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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb concocter

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of concocter. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb concocter is “to concoct” or “to prepare.” It is pronounced as “kohn-kohk-tey” in the infinitive form.

The word “concocter” comes from the Latin word “concoctus,” meaning “to digest” or “to cook.” It entered the French language in the 14th century and has evolved to mean “to concoct” or “to prepare” in a figurative sense.

In everyday French, the verb “concocter” is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used in conjunction with other verbs in this tense to express a condition or possibility.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with the respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je concocte un plan pour échapper à la surveillance. (I had to concoct a plan to escape the surveillance.)
  2. Si nous étions riches, nous concocterions un voyage autour du monde. (If we were rich, we would concoct a trip around the world.)
  3. Elle craignait que sa mère ne découvre le dîner qu’elle avait concocté. (She feared that her mother would discover the dinner she had concocted.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je concoctasse Si j’avais le temps, je concoctasse un plan. If I had time, I would devise a plan.
tu concoctasses Si tu venais m’aider, tu concoctasses un repas parfait. If you came to help me, you would prepare a perfect meal.
il concoctât Il serait heureux si il concoctât une surprise pour sa femme. He would be happy if he concocted a surprise for his wife.
elle concoctât Elle aurait aimé si elle concoctât le dîner ce soir. She would have liked if she prepared dinner tonight.
on concoctât Si on concoctât un plan, on pourrait réussir. If one devised a plan, one could succeed.
nous concoctassions Si nous concoctassions ensemble, ça serait amusant. If we concocted together, it would be fun.
vous concoctassiez Si vous concoctassiez le repas, je ferais la vaisselle. If you prepared the meal, I would do the dishes.
ils concoctassent S’ils concoctassent un projet, ça pourrait être intéressant. If they devised a project, it could be interesting.
elles concoctassent Si elles concoctassent quelque chose de spécial, leurs invités seraient impressionnées. If they prepared something special, their guests would be impressed.

Other Conjugations for Concocter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb concocter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the concocter Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts