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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb consumer

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The English translation of the French verb consumer is “to consume.” It is pronounced as “kon-suh-may.”

The word “consumer” comes from the Latin word “consumere,” meaning “to use up” or “to waste.” It first appeared in the French language in the 12th century and has since evolved to refer to the act of using or buying goods and services.

In everyday French, consumer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action. It is often used after verbs such as “il faut que” (it is necessary that), “il est important que” (it is important that), or “il est nécessaire que” (it is necessary that).

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

  1. Il fallait que je consomme moins de sucre pour ma santé. (It was necessary for me to consume less sugar for my health.)
  2. Il était important que nous consommions des produits locaux. (It was important for us to consume local products.)
  3. Il était nécessaire que vous consommiez moins d’énergie pour protéger l’environnement. (It was necessary for you to consume less energy to protect the environment.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je consommasse Si j’étais riche, je consommasse plus de produits de luxe. If I were rich, I would consume more luxury products.
tu consommasses Si tu avais plus d’argent, tu consommasses plus. If you had more money, you would consume more.
il consommât Si il se souciait de l’environnement, il consommât moins. If he cared about the environment, he would consume less.
elle consommât Si elle avait plus de temps, elle consommât moins de plats préparés. If she had more time, she would consume less processed foods.
on consommât Si on consommât moins de viande, on serait plus écolo. If one consumed less meat, one would be more eco-friendly.
nous consommassions Si nous consommassions moins de sucre, nous serions en meilleure santé. If we consumed less sugar, we would be healthier.
vous consommassiez Si vous consommassiez plus de fruits, vous auriez moins de caries. If you consumed more fruits, you would have fewer cavities.
ils consommasent S’ils consommasent moins de produits emballés, ils réduiraient leur empreinte carbone. If they consumed fewer packaged products, they would reduce their carbon footprint.
elles consommasent Si elles consommasent plus de légumes, elles auraient plus de vitamines. If they consumed more vegetables, they would have more vitamins.

Other Conjugations for Consumer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb consumer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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