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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cotiser

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The English translation of the French verb cotiser is “to contribute.” The infinitive form, cotiser, is pronounced “ko-tee-zay.”

Cotiser comes from the French word “cote,” meaning “share” or “quota,” and the suffix “-iser,” which is used to form verbs from nouns or adjectives. In everyday French, cotiser is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

  1. Il fallait que je cotisasse pour participer à l’événement. (I had to contribute to participate in the event.)

  2. Je souhaitais que tu cotisasses pour acheter un cadeau commun. (I wished for you to contribute to buy a joint gift.)

  3. Il était important que nous cotisassions régulièrement pour maintenir le club en activité. (It was important for us to contribute regularly to keep the club running.)

In all three examples, the Subjonctif Imparfait tense is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. In English, the corresponding tense is the past subjunctive.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cotisasse Je cotisasse si j’avais un emploi. I would contribute if I had a job.
tu cotisasses Si tu gagnais plus, tu cotisasses plus. If you earned more, you would contribute more.
il cotisât Il serait plus généreux si il cotisât plus. He would be more generous if he contributed more.
elle cotisât Elle serait contente si elle cotisât plus. She would be happy if she contributed more.
on cotisât Si on cotisât plus tôt, on aurait plus d’argent à la retraite. If one contributed earlier, one would have more money for retirement.
nous cotisassions Si nous cotisassions ensemble, on pourrait faire une différence. If we contributed together, we could make a difference.
vous cotisassiez Si vous cotisassiez plus, vous pourriez aider plus de personnes. If you contributed more, you could help more people.
ils cotisassent S’ils cotisassent ensemble, ils pourraient avoir un meilleur régime de retraite. If they contributed together, they could have a better retirement plan.
elles cotisassent Si elles cotisassent plus régulièrement, elles pourraient avoir une meilleure couverture médicale. If they contributed more regularly, they could have better health coverage.

Other Conjugations for Cotiser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cotiser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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