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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb constiper

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The English translation of the French verb constiper is “to constipate.” It is pronounced as “kawn-stee-pey” in the infinitive form.

The word constiper comes from the Latin word “constipare,” which means “to crowd together” or “to cram.” It entered the French language in the 16th century.

In everyday French, constiper is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is commonly used in formal or literary contexts.

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

  1. Il fallait que je me constipasse avant de partir. (I needed to get constipated before leaving.)
  2. Nous avions peur qu’elle se constipât en mangeant trop de fromage. (We were afraid she would get constipated from eating too much cheese.)
  3. Il était conseillé que vous ne vous constipiez pas en voyageant. (It was advised that you didn’t get constipated while traveling.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je constipasse Si j’avais mangé plus de fibres, je constipasse moins. If I had eaten more fiber, I would be less constipated.
tu constipasses Si tu arrêtais de manger du fromage, tu constipasses moins. If you stopped eating cheese, you would be less constipated.
il constipât Il faudrait qu’il se repose s’il constipât. He would need to rest if he were constipated.
elle constipât Elle serait mieux si elle ne constipât pas. She would feel better if she weren’t constipated.
on constipât Si on mangeait plus de fruits, on constipât moins. If we ate more fruits, we would be less constipated.
nous constipassions Si nous faisions du sport, nous constipassions moins. If we exercised, we would be less constipated.
vous constipassiez Si vous buviez plus d’eau, vous constipassiez moins. If you drank more water, you would be less constipated.
ils constipassent Si ils mangeaient plus de légumes, ils constipassent moins. If they ate more vegetables, they would be less constipated.
elles constipassent Si elles prenaient des laxatifs, elles constipassent moins. If they took laxatives, they would be less constipated.

Other Conjugations for Constiper.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb constiper
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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