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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb continuer

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The English translation of the French verb continuer is “to continue.” The infinitive form, continuer, is pronounced as kohn-tee-noo-ay.

The word continuer comes from the Latin word continuare, meaning “to make continuous.” It was first recorded in French in the 12th century.

In everyday French, continuer is often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action that continues in the past. This tense is formed by using the imperfect tense of the subjunctive mood with the auxiliary verb avoir or être.

Here are three examples of continuer used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu continues à travailler. (I wished that you would continue working.)
  2. Il fallait qu’elle continuât à prendre ses médicaments. (It was necessary for her to continue taking her medication.)
  3. Nous voulions que vous continuiez à nous aider. (We wanted you to continue helping us.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je continuasse Si j’étais plus fort, je continuasse de travailler. If I were stronger, I would continue working.
tu continuasses Si tu arrêtais de fumer, tu continuasses de respirer. If you stopped smoking, you would continue to breathe.
il continuât Le professeur serait content si il continuât son discours. The teacher would be happy if he continued his speech.
elle continuât Si elle continuât à danser, elle serait épuisée. If she continued dancing, she would be exhausted.
on continuât Si on continuât à jouer, on finirait par gagner. If one continued playing, one would eventually win.
nous continuassions Si nous continuassions à étudier, nous réussirions. If we continued studying, we would succeed.
vous continuassiez Si vous continuassiez à parler en français, vous vous amélioreriez. If you continued speaking in French, you would improve.
ils continuassent S’ils continuassent à travailler ensemble, ils finiraient plus vite. If they continued working together, they would finish faster.
elles continuassent Si elles continuassent à chanter, elles gagneraient un concours. If they continued singing, they would win a competition.

Other Conjugations for Continuer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb continuer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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