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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb contrecarrer

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The English translation of the French verb contrecarrer is “to counteract” or “to thwart.” In its infinitive form, it is pronounced as “kohn-truh-kah-ray.”

Contrecarrer comes from the Latin word “contra,” meaning “against,” and the Old French word “carre,” meaning “square.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

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

  1. Je craignais qu’il ne contrecarre mes plans. (I was afraid he would thwart my plans.)
  2. Il fallait que nous contrecarrions leurs efforts pour gagner. (We had to counteract their efforts to win.)
  3. Elle souhaitait que je contrecarre ses ennemis. (She wanted me to thwart her enemies.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je contrecarasse Si j’étais plus rapide, je contrecarasse ses plans. If I were faster, I would thwart his plans.
tu contrecarasses Si tu avais écouté, tu contrecarasses son argument. If you had listened, you would counter his argument.
il contrecarât Il serait déçu si il contrecarât cette tentative. He would be disappointed if he thwarted this attempt.
elle contrecarât Elle serait en colère si elle contrecarât ses projets. She would be angry if she thwarted her plans.
on contrecarât Si on contrecarât ses efforts, il abandonnerait. If one thwarted his efforts, he would give up.
nous contrecarrassions Si nous contrecarrassions ensemble, on n’atteindrait pas notre but. If we thwarted together, we would not achieve our goal.
vous contrecarassiez Si vous ne contrecarassiez pas ses plans, il réussirait. If you did not thwart his plans, he would succeed.
ils contrecarassent S’ils contrecarassaient ses mesures, la situation serait différente. If they thwarted his measures, the situation would be different.
elles contrecarassent Si elles contrecarassaient leurs ennemis, elles remporteraient la victoire. If they thwarted their enemies, they would win the victory.

Other Conjugations for Contrecarrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contrecarrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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