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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb contrebouter

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The English translation of the French verb contrebouter is “to upset” or “to bother.” The infinitive form is pronounced “kon-truh-boo-tay.”

The word contrebouter comes from the verb “bouter,” which means “to push” or “to thrust,” and the prefix “contre,” which means “against.” It originated in the 16th century and is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three simple examples of contrebouter in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Je craignais qu’il ne me contreboutât avec ses remarques désagréables.
    (I was afraid he would upset me with his unpleasant remarks.)

  2. Il était possible qu’elle se fâchât si je la contreboutais.
    (It was possible that she would get angry if I bothered her.)

  3. Nous voulions qu’ils ne contreboutassent pas notre soirée en se disputant.
    (We didn’t want them to upset our evening by arguing.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je contreboutasse Si je contreboutasse plus, je me disputerais moins. If I cared less, I would argue less.
tu contreboutasses Si tu contreboutasses avec moi, je serais content. If you argued with me, I would be happy.
il contreboutât Si il contreboutât plus souvent, il comprendrait mieux. If he argued more often, he would understand better.
elle contreboutât Si elle contreboutât plus, elle serait plus calme. If she cared more, she would be calmer.
on contreboutât Si on contreboutât moins, ça serait plus facile. If one cared less, it would be easier.
nous contreboutassions Si nous contreboutassions ensemble, on se disputerait moins. If we cared together, we would argue less.
vous contreboutassiez Si vous contreboutassiez moins, on s’entendrait mieux. If you cared less, we would get along better.
ils contreboutassent Si ils contreboutassent plus, on se comprendrait mieux. If they cared more, we would understand each other better.
elles contreboutassent Si elles contreboutassent moins, on serait plus détendus. If they cared less, we would be more relaxed.

Other Conjugations for Contrebouter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contrebouter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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