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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb converser

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The English translation of the French verb converser is “to converse.” The infinitive form, converser, is pronounced “kon-ver-zay.”

The origin of the word converser can be traced back to the Latin word “conversari,” meaning “to converse.” In everyday French, converser is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express hypothetical or uncertain actions in the past.

Examples:

  1. J’aimais que vous conversiez avec moi. (I liked it when you would converse with me.)
  2. Il fallait que nous conversions plus souvent. (We needed to converse more often.)
  3. Je regrettais que tu ne conversasses pas avec les autres invités. (I regretted that you weren’t conversing with the other guests.)

English translations:

  1. I liked it when you would converse with me.
  2. We needed to converse more often.
  3. I regretted that you weren’t conversing with the other guests.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je conversasse Si j’avais le temps, je conversasse souvent avec lui. If I had the time, I would often converse with him.
tu conversasses Si tu aimais lire, tu conversasses avec les auteurs. If you liked reading, you would converse with the authors.
il conversât Il comprendrait mieux si il conversât plus longtemps. He would understand better if he conversed for longer.
elle conversât Elle serait plus heureuse si elle conversât chaque jour. She would be happier if she conversed every day.
on conversât Si on conversât ensemble, on apprendrait beaucoup. If one conversed together, one would learn a lot.
nous conversassions Si nous conversassions en français, nous apprendrions mieux. If we conversed in French, we would learn better.
vous conversassiez Si vous conversassiez moins, vous comprendriez plus. If you conversed less, you would understand more.
ils conversassent S’ils conversassent plus souvent, ils apprendraient davantage. If they conversed more often, they would learn more.
elles conversassent Si elles conversassent en ligne, ça serait plus pratique. If they conversed online, it would be more convenient.

Other Conjugations for Converser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb converser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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