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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb contribuer

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The English translation of the French verb contribuer is “to contribute.” It is pronounced “kohn-tree-bweh.”

The word contribuer comes from the Latin word “contribuere,” meaning “to bring together.” It is often used in everyday French to describe the act of giving or adding something to a larger group or cause.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, contribuer is most often used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense:

  1. Il fallait que je contribuasse plus à la fête. Translation: I needed to contribute more to the party.
  2. Elle voulait que nous contribuassions à la collecte de fonds pour l’association. Translation: She wanted us to contribute to the fundraising for the association.
  3. Il était important que vous contribuassiez à l’effort collectif. Translation: It was important that you contribute to the collective effort.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je contribuasse Si j’avais plus de temps, je contribuasse davantage. If I had more time, I would contribute more.
tu contribuasses Si tu le pouvais, tu contribuasses à la cause. If you could, you would contribute to the cause.
il contribuât Il serait fier si il contribuât à la réussite du projet. He would be proud if he contributed to the success of the project.
elle contribuât Elle serait ravie si elle contribuât à l’organisation. She would be delighted if she contributed to the organization.
on contribuât Si on contribuât tous un peu, on pourrait faire une grande différence. If everyone contributed a little, we could make a big difference.
nous contribuassions Si nous contribuassions ensemble, nous pourrions accomplir beaucoup. If we contributed together, we could accomplish a lot.
vous contribuassiez Si vous contribuassiez financièrement, ça serait grandement apprécié. If you contributed financially, it would be greatly appreciated.
ils contribuassent S’ils contribuassent plus régulièrement, le projet serait terminé plus vite. If they contributed more regularly, the project would be finished faster.
elles contribuassent Si elles contribuassent toutes à la cause, elle serait bien défendue. If they all contributed to the cause, it would be well defended.

Other Conjugations for Contribuer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb contribuer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Contribuer – 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.

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