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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb condenser

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The English translation of the French verb condenser is “to condense.” It is pronounced as “kohn-dahn-seh.”

The word condenser comes from the Latin term “condensare,” which means “to make dense.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a past tense used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action.

Here are three simple examples of how condenser is used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu condensasses l’information avant la réunion.
    (I wished that you would condense the information before the meeting.)

  2. Elle préférait que nous condensassions le cours en une seule journée.
    (She preferred that we condensed the course into one day.)

  3. Ils auraient aimé que je condensasse mes idées avant de les partager avec l’équipe.
    (They would have liked me to condense my ideas before sharing them with the team.)

In these examples, the Subjonctif Imparfait tense is used to express a hypothetical or desired action in the past. The verb condenser is conjugated in the second person singular, first person plural, and first person singular respectively. In English, the Subjonctif Imparfait is often translated as “would + verb,” while the verb condenser remains the same.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je condensasse Je serais content si je condensasse mieux. I would be happy if I condensed better.
tu condensasses Si tu condensasses plus, tu réussirais. If you condensed more, you would succeed.
il condensât Il serait efficace s’il condensât son discours. He would be effective if he condensed his speech.
elle condensât Elle serait plus concise si elle condensât ses idées. She would be more concise if she condensed her ideas.
on condensât Si on condensât le texte, il serait plus court. If one condensed the text, it would be shorter.
nous condensassions Si nous condensassions mieux, nous économiserions du temps. If we condensed better, we would save time.
vous condensassiez Si vous condensassiez vos notes, ça serait plus facile à étudier. If you condensed your notes, it would be easier to study.
ils condensassent S’ils condensassent leur travail, ils auraient plus de temps libre. If they condensed their work, they would have more free time.
elles condensassent Si elles condensassent leur discours, il serait plus intéressant. If they condensed their speech, it would be more interesting.

Other Conjugations for Condenser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb condenser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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