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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb convoquer

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The English translation of the French verb convoquer is “to summon” or “to call upon.” The infinitive form, convoquer, is pronounced “kawn-voh-kay.”

Convoquer comes from the Latin word “convocare,” meaning “to call together.” It is most often used in everyday French to indicate a formal call or invitation to a meeting, assembly, or court appearance.

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

  1. Il fallait que je le convoque à la réunion. (I had to summon him to the meeting.)
  2. Elle souhaitait que nous les convoquions pour discuter de leurs problèmes. (She wanted us to call upon them to discuss their problems.)
  3. Il était important que le juge les convoquât en personne pour témoigner. (It was important for the judge to summon them in person to testify.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je convoquasse Si j’avais plus de temps, je convoquasse une réunion. If I had more time, I would convene a meeting.
tu convoquasses Si tu n’étais pas occupé, tu convoquasses tout le monde. If you weren’t busy, you would summon everyone.
il convoquât Il serait satisfait si il convoquât une conférence. He would be satisfied if he called a conference.
elle convoquât Elle serait inquiète si elle convoquât une assemblée. She would be worried if she convened a gathering.
on convoquât Si on convoquât plus tôt, on pourrait éviter les retards. If one convened earlier, one could avoid delays.
nous convoquassions Si nous convoquassions une réunion, nous prendrions des décisions. If we convened a meeting, we would make decisions.
vous convoquassiez Si vous convoquassiez une audience, vous pourriez résoudre les problèmes. If you convened a hearing, you could solve the problems.
ils convoquassent S’ils convoquassent un sommet, ils pourraient trouver des solutions. If they convened a summit, they could find solutions.
elles convoquassent Si elles convoquassent une conférence, elles partageraient des idées. If they convened a conference, they would share ideas.

Other Conjugations for Convoquer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb convoquer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Convoquer – 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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