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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb corner

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The English translation of the French verb corner is “to corner.” It is pronounced “kohrn-ay.”

The word “corner” has its origin in Old French, derived from the Latin word “cornu,” meaning “horn.” It was initially used to refer to a sharp angle or point, and the verb “corner” was used to describe the act of placing something in a corner or trapping someone in a corner. In everyday French, the verb corner is often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait (imperfect subjunctive) tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of the usage of corner in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu corners la conversation avant qu’il ne se fâche. (I wished that you would corner the conversation before he got angry.)
  2. Il était important que nous corners le marché avant que nos concurrents ne le fassent. (It was important that we cornered the market before our competitors did.)
  3. Les policiers ont décidé d’arrêter le suspect avant qu’il ne corners l’entrée de la banque. (The police decided to arrest the suspect before he cornered the entrance of the bank.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cornerais Si je gagnais plus d’argent, je cornerais plus de choses. If I earned more money, I would buy more things.
tu cornerais Si tu travaillais plus, tu cornerais plus de temps libre. If you worked more, you would have more free time.
il cornert Il serait jaloux si il cornert son adversaire. He would be jealous if he cornered his opponent.
elle cornert Elle serait fière si elle cornert bien. She would be proud if she cornered well.
on cornert Si on cornert chaque joueur, on gagnerait la partie. If one cornered each player, we would win the game.
nous cornerions Si nous cornerions ensemble, on ferait une bonne équipe. If we cornered together, we would make a good team.
vous corneriez Si vous corneriez plus intelligemment, vous gagneriez plus souvent. If you cornered more intelligently, you would win more often.
ils corneraient S’ils corneraient tous à la fois, ils auraient plus de succès. If they all cornered at the same time, they would have more success.
elles corneraient Si elles corneraient ensemble, elles pourraient partager les récompenses. If they cornered together, they could share the rewards.

Other Conjugations for Corner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb corner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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