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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb conseiller

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The English translation of the French verb conseiller is “to advise.” It is pronounced as “kohn-sey-yay” in the infinitive form.

The word conseiller comes from the Latin word “consiliarius,” meaning “counselor.” In everyday French, it is most often used in its Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples of conseiller in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je te conseillasse cette option. (I had to advise you this option.)
  2. Je préférais que tu me conseillasses avant de prendre une décision. (I preferred that you advised me before making a decision.)
  3. Elle aurait aimé que je la conseillasse pour son entretien d’embauche. (She would have liked me to advise her for her job interview.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je conseillasse Si j’avais plus d’expérience, je conseillasse mieux. If I had more experience, I would advise better.
tu conseillasses Si tu connaissais bien la situation, tu conseillasses mieux. If you knew the situation well, you would advise better.
il conseillât Il serait plus heureux si il conseillât ses amis. He would be happier if he advised his friends.
elle conseillât Elle serait plus calme si elle ne conseillât pas souvent. She would be calmer if she didn’t advise often.
on conseillât Si on ne conseillât pas aux autres, on serait moins stressé. If one didn’t advise others, one would be less stressed.
nous conseillassions Si nous conseillassions nos enfants, ils feraient de meilleurs choix. If we advised our children, they would make better choices.
vous conseillassiez Si vous conseillassiez vos collègues, ils vous écouteraient. If you advised your colleagues, they would listen to you.
ils conseillassent S’ils conseillassent avant d’agir, ils éviteraient des problèmes. If they advised before acting, they would avoid problems.
elles conseillassent Si elles se conseillassent entre elles, leurs relations seraient meilleures. If they advised each other, their relationships would be better.

Other Conjugations for Conseiller.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conseiller
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Conseiller – 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.

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