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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb constater

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The English translation of the French verb constater is “to observe” or “to notice”. The infinitive form is pronounced as “kɔ̃.sta.te”.

The word constater is derived from the Latin word “constatare”, meaning “to prove” or “to establish”. It is most often used in everyday French to express the idea of observing or acknowledging something as a fact.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, constater is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the conjunction “que” to introduce a subordinate clause. Here are three examples of its usage in this tense:

  1. Il fallait que je constatasse les dégâts causés par la tempête. (It was necessary that I observe the damages caused by the storm.)
  2. Il était incertain que les résultats constatent une amélioration. (It was uncertain that the results would observe an improvement.)
  3. J’aurais préféré que tu constatasses la vérité avant de te faire une opinion. (I would have preferred that you observe the truth before making an opinion.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je constatasse Si je pouvais, je constatasse la situation moi-même. If I could, I would observe the situation myself.
tu constatasses Je te conseille que tu constatasses avant que tu ne le regrettes. I advise you to check before you regret it.
il constatât Il serait préférable que il constatât la réalité avant de prendre une décision. It would be preferable if he observed the reality before making a decision.
elle constatât Elle serait surprise si elle constatât que ses doutes étaient fondés. She would be surprised if she realized that her doubts were well-founded.
on constatât Si on constatât les faits, on pourrait prendre une décision éclairée. If one observed the facts, one could make an informed decision.
nous constatassions Si nous constatassions ensemble, nous pourrions trouver une solution. If we observed together, we could find a solution.
vous constatassiez Si vous constatassiez les preuves, vous pourriez vous faire un opinion. If you observed the evidence, you could form an opinion.
ils constatassent Ils seraient plus convaincus s’ils constatassent par eux-mêmes. They would be more convinced if they observed for themselves.
elles constatassent Si elles constatassent la situation, elles pourraient agir en conséquence. If they observed the situation, they could act accordingly.

Other Conjugations for Constater.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb constater
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Constater – 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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