Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb contre-buter

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The English translation of contre-buter is “to counterattack.” The infinitive form is pronounced “kawn-truh-byoo-tay.”

The word contre-buter comes from the French words “contre” meaning against and “buter” meaning to hit or strike. It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je contre-butasse les accusations de mon ennemi. (It was necessary for me to counterattack my enemy’s accusations.)

  2. J’avais peur que l’armée ne contre-butât nos défenses. (I was afraid that the army would counterattack our defenses.)

  3. Elle souhaitait que nous contre-butassions les attaques de la presse. (She wished that we would counterattack the press’s attacks.)

Table of the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of contre-buter

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je contreboutasse Si j’étais fort, je contreboutasse le mauvais sort. If I were strong, I would ward off bad luck.
tu contreboutasses Si tu connaissais le secret, tu contreboutasses le danger. If you knew the secret, you would counter the danger.
il contreboutât Il serait content si il contreboutât les critiques. He would be happy if he countered the criticisms.
elle contreboutât Elle serait surprise si elle contreboutât les obstacles. She would be surprised if she countered the obstacles.
on contreboutât Si on contreboutât plus souvent, on gagnerait plus. If one countered more often, one would earn more.
nous contreboutassions Si nous contreboutassions ensemble, nous aurions plus de chance. If we countered together, we would have more luck.
vous contreboutassiez Si vous contreboutassiez mes plans, je serais en colère. If you countered my plans, I would be angry.
ils contreboutassent S’ils contreboutassent leurs adversaires, ils gagneraient. If they countered their opponents, they would win.
elles contreboutassent Si elles contreboutassent leur peur, elles réussiraient. If they countered their fear, they would succeed.

Other Conjugations for Contre-Buter.

   
    Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter
   

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter
   

    Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter
   

    Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter
   

    Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter
   

    Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter
   

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

    Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter

    Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter

    Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter

    Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter
   

    Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter (this article)

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

    Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter
   

    Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter

    L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter

    L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contre-buter

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Contre-Buter – 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 contre-buter. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

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