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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb constituer

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The English translation of the French verb constituer is “to constitute” or “to form.”

In French, the infinitive form of constituer is pronounced “kon-stee-tyu-ay.”

The word constituer comes from the Latin word “constituere,” meaning “to establish” or “to place together.” It is most often used in everyday French to mean “to form,” “to make up,” or “to establish.”

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, constituer is used to express a wish, doubt, or possibility in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que tu constitues une équipe pour le projet. (It was necessary for you to form a team for the project.)
  2. Je doutais que le nouvel accord constitue une amélioration. (I doubted that the new agreement constitutes an improvement.)
  3. J’aimerais que nous constituions une alliance pour lutter contre le changement climatique. (I would like us to form an alliance to fight against climate change.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je constituasse Si j’étais président, je constituasse un nouveau gouvernement. If I were president, I would constitute a new government.
tu constituasses Si tu étais riche, tu constituasses une fondation caritative. If you were rich, you would constitute a charitable foundation.
il constituât Il serait important que il constituât une équipe qualifiée. It would be important for him to constitute a qualified team.
elle constituât Elle ne serait pas satisfaite si elle constituât seule son héritage. She would not be satisfied if she constituted her inheritance alone.
on constituât Si on constituât un groupe de travail, on pourrait trouver une solution. If one constituted a working group, one could find a solution.
nous constituassions Si nous constituassions une équipe solide, nous pourrions gagner. If we constituted a strong team, we could win.
vous constituassiez Si vous constituassiez une liste de tâches, vous seriez plus organisé. If you constituted a to-do list, you would be more organized.
ils constituassent S’ils constituassent une alliance, ils pourraient obtenir plus de pouvoir. If they constituted an alliance, they could gain more power.
elles constituassent Si elles constituassent un cercle d’amis, elles pourraient se soutenir. If they constituted a circle of friends, they could support each other.

Other Conjugations for Constituer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb constituer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Constituer – 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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