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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb conspirer

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The English translation of the French verb conspirer is “to conspire.” It is pronounced “kohn-spee-ray” in its infinitive form.

The language origin of conspirer can be traced back to the Latin word “conspirare” meaning “to breathe together” or “to agree.” It first appeared in French in the 13th century and has been used in various contexts throughout history, often with a negative connotation.

In everyday French, the verb conspirer is often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is commonly used in statements beginning with “il faut que” (it is necessary that) or “il est possible que” (it is possible that).

Here are three simple examples of how conspirer is used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense in everyday French, with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que nous conspirions contre le roi. (It was necessary for us to conspire against the king.)
  2. Il était possible qu’ils conspirassent pour renverser le gouvernement. (It was possible for them to conspire to overthrow the government.)
  3. Il fallait que tu te méfies d’eux, car ils conspiraient contre toi. (It was necessary for you to be wary of them, as they were conspiring against you.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je conspirasse Si je savais la vérité, je conspirasse avec toi. If I knew the truth, I would conspire with you.
tu conspirasses Tu n’aurais pas à conspirasses si tout était juste. You wouldn’t have to conspire if everything was fair.
il conspirât Il pourrait être en colère s’il conspirât contre lui. He could be angry if he conspired against him.
elle conspirât Elle ne se sentirait pas si seule si elle conspirât avec des amis. She wouldn’t feel so alone if she conspired with friends.
on conspirât Si on conspirât, on aurait un plan. If one conspired, there would be a plan.
nous conspirassions Si nous conspirassions ensemble, on pourrait changer les choses. If we conspired together, we could change things.
vous conspirassiez Si vous conspirassiez davantage, vous seriez plus informé. If you conspired more, you would be more informed.
ils conspirassent S’ils conspirassent en secret, ça pourrait être dangereux. If they conspired in secret, it could be dangerous.
elles conspirassent Si elles conspirassent toutes ensemble, ça pourrait être un complot. If they all conspired together, it could be a conspiracy.

Other Conjugations for Conspirer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb conspirer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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