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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb contenter

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The English translation of contenter is “to satisfy” or “to please.” The infinitive form, contenter, is pronounced as “kawn-ten-tay.”

The word contenter comes from the Old French word “content,” meaning “content” or “satisfied.” It is derived from the Latin word “contentus,” meaning “content” or “satisfied.”

In everyday French, the verb contenter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a wish or desire. It is used to convey a sense of uncertainty or possibility.

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

  1. Je souhaiterais que tu te contentes de ce que tu as. (I would like you to be satisfied with what you have.)
  2. Il fallait qu’elle se contentât de peu. (She had to be content with very little.)
  3. Nous voulions que vous vous contentiez de participer. (We wanted you to be satisfied with participating.)

In these examples, the verb contenter expresses a desire or wish that may or may not be fulfilled. It also emphasizes the idea of being satisfied or content with something.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je contentasse Je serais contentasse si je trouvais ce que je cherche. I would be content if I found what I’m looking for.
tu contentasses Si tu te contentasses avec moins, tu serais plus heureux. If you were content with less, you would be happier.
il contentât Il serait mieux s’il contentât ses clients. It would be better if he satisfied his customers.
elle contentât Elle serait plus calme si elle se contentât de ce qu’elle a. She would be more calm if she was content with what she has.
on contentât Si on contentât tout le monde, la vie serait plus simple. If everyone was satisfied, life would be easier.
nous contentassions Si nous contentassions nos besoins, nous serions plus satisfaits. If we satisfied our needs, we would be more content.
vous contentassiez Si vous contentassiez vos employés, ils travailleraient mieux. If you satisfied your employees, they would work better.
ils contentassent S’ils contentassent leurs promesses, je leur ferais confiance. If they fulfilled their promises, I would trust them.
elles contentassent Si elles se contentassent de peu, elles dépenseraient moins. If they were content with little, they would spend less.

Other Conjugations for Contenter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contenter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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