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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb contrer

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The English translation of the French verb contrer is “to counter” or “to oppose.” The infinitive form is pronounced “koh(n)-tray.”

The word contrer comes from the Middle French word contre, meaning “against.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three examples of its usage in Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Si j’avais su, j’aurais contré tes arguments. (If I had known, I would have countered your arguments.)
  2. Il était essentiel que nous contrions cette décision. (It was essential that we opposed this decision.)
  3. Je craignais qu’il ne contrât mes plans. (I was afraid that he would counter my plans.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je contrecasse Je serais content si je contrecasse leur plan. I would be happy if I thwarted their plan.
tu contrecasses Si tu les encouragais, tu contrecasses leur décision. If you encouraged them, you would counter their decision.
il contrecât S’il pouvait, il contrecât leur plan. If he could, he would counter their plan.
elle contrecât Si elle avait des preuves, elle contrecât leur théorie. If she had evidence, she would counter their theory.
on contrecât Si on y réfléchissait bien, on contrecât leurs attaques. If one thought about it, one would counter their attacks.
nous contrecassions Si nous travaillions ensemble, nous contrecassions leur plan. If we worked together, we would counter their plan.
vous contrecassiez Si vous aviez de meilleures idées, vous contrecassiez leur plan. If you had better ideas, you would counter their plan.
ils contrecassent S’ils essayaient plus fort, ils contrecassent leur plan. If they tried harder, they would counter their plan.
elles contrecassent Si elles encourageaient plus, elles contrecassent leur plan. If they encouraged more, they would counter their plan.

Other Conjugations for Contrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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