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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb contourner

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The English translation of the French verb contourner is “to bypass” or “to go around.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “kon-tour-nay.”

The language origin of contourner can be traced back to the Latin word “contornare,” which means “to make a detour.” In everyday French, the verb is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a past tense used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the present or future.

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

  1. Il fallait que je contourne le centre-ville si je voulais éviter les embouteillages. (I had to go around the city center if I wanted to avoid traffic.)

  2. La police nous a conseillé de contourner le quartier en raison des manifestations. (The police advised us to bypass the neighborhood due to protests.)

  3. Je voulais contourner la règle, mais mes parents ne m’ont pas laissé faire. (I wanted to bypass the rule, but my parents didn’t let me.)

In these examples, the verb contourner is used to express the idea of going around or bypassing something, whether it is a physical obstacle or a rule. In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, it indicates a past action that was uncertain or hypothetical.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je contourne Je contourne l’obstacle pour éviter l’effondrement. I avoid the obstacle to avoid the collapse.
tu contournes Si tu contournes cette règle, tu auras des problèmes. If you bypass this rule, you will have problems.
il contourne Il serait plus sûr s’il contourne le danger. It would be safer if he avoids the danger.
elle contourne Elle contourne souvent les règles pour obtenir ce qu’elle veut. She often circumvents the rules to get what she wants.
on contourne Si on contourne cette loi, on risque des amendes. If one bypasses this law, one risks fines.
nous contournions Si nous contournions l’interdiction, nous pourrions y aller. If we circumvented the ban, we could go there.
vous contourniez Si vous contourniez cette règle, vous pourriez faire plus de profit. If you bypassed this rule, you could make more profit.
ils contournaient S’ils contournaient les règles, ils seraient punis. If they bypassed the rules, they would be punished.
elles contournaient Si elles contournaient les lois, elles seraient en danger. If they bypassed the laws, they would be in danger.

Other Conjugations for Contourner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contourner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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