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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb condamner

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The English translation of the French verb condamner is “to condemn.” It is pronounced as “kohn-dah-mneh” in its infinitive form.

Condamner comes from the Latin word “condemnare,” meaning “to blame, sentence, condemn.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain situation in the past. This tense is formed by using the imperfect subjunctive form of the verb with the auxiliary verb “avoir.”

Here are three simple examples of condamner used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je le condamne pour qu’il comprenne ses erreurs.
    Translation: I had to condemn him for him to understand his mistakes.

  2. Nous aurions préféré que tu ne le condamnes pas si sévèrement.
    Translation: We would have preferred if you didn’t condemn him so severely.

  3. Si j’étais resté au pouvoir, j’aurais condamné cette politique dès son lancement.
    Translation: If I had stayed in power, I would have condemned this policy from its launch.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je condamnasse Si j’étais juge, je condamnasse tous les criminels. If I were a judge, I would condemn all criminals.
tu condamnasses Si tu étudies le droit, tu condamnasses les injustices. If you studied law, you would condemn injustice.
il condamnât Il serait en colère si il condamnât l’accusé. He would be angry if he condemned the defendant.
elle condamnât Elle serait triste si elle condamnât son propre frère. She would be sad if she condemned her own brother.
on condamnât Si on condamnât tous les voleurs, il n’y aurait plus de vols. If one condemned all thieves, there would be no more thefts.
nous condamnassions Si nous condamnassions cette pratique, elle cesserait. If we condemned this practice, it would stop.
vous condamnassiez Si vous condamnassiez davantage, la justice serait plus juste. If you condemned more, justice would be fairer.
ils condamnassent S’ils condamnassent les coupables, les victimes seraient en paix. If they condemned the guilty, the victims would be at peace.
elles condamnassent Si elles condamnassent leur propre famille, elles se sentiraient coupables. If they condemned their own family, they would feel guilty.

Other Conjugations for Condamner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb condamner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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