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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb congeler

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The English translation of congeler is “to freeze.” It is pronounced as “kawn-zhel-ay” in its infinitive form.

The verb congeler comes from the Latin word “congelare,” which means “to freeze.” It is primarily used in everyday French as a transitive verb, meaning that it requires a direct object. In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, congeler is used to express a possibility or wish in the past.

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

  1. J’aurais aimé que tu congèles ces fruits avant qu’ils ne pourrissent. (I would have liked for you to freeze these fruits before they rot.)

  2. Il fallait que nous congélions les restes pour les manger plus tard. (We had to freeze the leftovers to eat them later.)

  3. Je souhaitais que vous congéliez cette sauce pour qu’elle ne tourne pas. (I wished for you to freeze this sauce so that it wouldn’t spoil.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je congelasse Si j’avais assez de temps, je congelasse les légumes. If I had enough time, I would freeze the vegetables.
tu congelasses Si tu avais envie, tu congelasses la tarte. If you felt like it, you would freeze the pie.
il congelât Il serait plus facile si il congelât la viande avant de la couper. It would be easier if he froze the meat before cutting it.
elle congelât Elle serait contente si elle congelât la glace. She would be happy if she froze the ice cream.
on congelât Si on congelât les fruits, on pourrait les manger plus tard. If one froze the fruits, one could eat them later.
nous congelassions Si nous congelassions le poisson, il ne serait pas gâté. If we froze the fish, it would not spoil.
vous congelassiez Si vous congelassiez les restes, vous pourriez les manger plus tard. If you froze the leftovers, you could eat them later.
ils congelassent S’ils congelassent le pain, il ne serait pas rassis. If they froze the bread, it would not go stale.
elles congelassent Si elles congelassent le plat, il serait prêt pour demain. If they froze the dish, it would be ready for tomorrow.

Other Conjugations for Congeler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb congeler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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