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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb conjurer

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The English translation of the French verb conjurer is “to conjure” or “to charm.” It is pronounced as “kon-zhoo-ray” in its infinitive form.

The word conjurer comes from the Latin word “conjurare,” meaning “to swear together” or “to conspire.” It entered the French language in the 13th century and was originally used in a religious context to refer to calling upon a higher power for assistance. Over time, its meaning evolved to also include the idea of performing magic or tricks.

In everyday French, the verb conjurer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. Here are 3 simple examples of its usage in this tense, with the respective English translations:

1) Il fallait que je le conjure pour qu’il me donne la réponse. (I had to charm him to get an answer from him.)
2) Si j’avais su, j’aurais conjuré le sort pour qu’il n’arrive pas. (If I had known, I would have conjured the spell so it wouldn’t happen.)
3) Nous aurions aimé que vous conjuriez cette situation avant qu’elle ne dégénère. (We would have liked for you to have conjured this situation before it got out of hand.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je conjurasse Si j’étais magicien, je conjurasse des sorts dangereux. If I were a magician, I would conjure dangerous spells.
tu conjurasses Si tu conjurasses mieux, tu aurais plus de succès. If you conjured better, you would have more success.
il conjurât Il serait impressionné si il te voyait conjurât. He would be impressed if he saw you conjure.
elle conjurât Elle serait effrayée si elle conjurât de vrais démons. She would be scared if she conjured real demons.
on conjurât Si on conjurât ensemble, ça serait amusant. If one conjured together, it would be fun.
nous conjurassions Si nous conjurassions plus souvent, nous deviendrions meilleurs. If we conjured more often, we would become better.
vous conjurassiez Si vous conjurassiez plus fort, vous auriez plus de puissance. If you conjured louder, you would have more power.
ils conjurassent S’ils conjurassent ensemble, ils feraient une grande équipe. If they conjured together, they would make a great team.
elles conjurassent Si elles conjurassent avec moi, je serais moins effrayé. If they conjured with me, I would be less scared.

Other Conjugations for Conjurer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conjurer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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