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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb copier

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The English translation of the French verb copier is “to copy.” It is pronounced as “ko-pee-ey” in its infinitive form.

The word copier comes from the Latin word “copiare,” which means “to write down or transcribe.” In modern French, it is most often used to refer to the action of making a copy of something, whether it be a document, an image, or an idea.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, copier is used to express a desire, a wish, or a hypothetical action in the past. It is often used in conjunction with other verbs to form a subordinate clause.

Three simple examples of copier used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je copie cette photo avant qu’elle ne soit perdue. (I had to copy this photo before it got lost.)

  2. Je souhaitais que tu copies mon rapport pour moi. (I wished for you to copy my report for me.)

  3. S’il pouvait copier mes notes de cours, ça m’aiderait énormément. (If he could copy my class notes, it would help me a lot.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je copiasse Il serait étonné si je copiasse son style d’écriture. He would be surprised if I copied his writing style.
tu copiasses Si tu copiasses mieux, tu n’aurais pas besoin d’aide. If you copied better, you wouldn’t need help.
il copiât Il resterait calme si il copiât sans se tromper. He would stay calm if he copied without making mistakes.
elle copiât Si elle copiât plus vite, elle terminerait plus tôt. If she copied faster, she would finish earlier.
on copiât Si on copiât moins, on comprendrait plus. If one copied less, one would understand more.
nous copiassions Il serait plus facile si nous copiassions ensemble. It would be easier if we copied together.
vous copiassiez Si vous copiassiez les instructions, ça irait plus vite. If you followed the instructions, it would go faster.
ils copiassent S’ils copiassent moins, ils apprendraient plus. If they copied less, they would learn more.
elles copiassent Si elles copiassent mieux, elles auraient de meilleures notes. If they copied better, they would have better grades.

Other Conjugations for Copier.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb copier
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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