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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cotonner

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The English translation of the French verb cotonner is “to cotton.” It is pronounced koh-toh-nay.

The word cotonner comes from the French word “coton,” meaning “cotton.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Example 1:
Il fallait que je cotonne mes draps avant de les mettre dans la machine à laver.
(It was necessary for me to cotton my sheets before putting them in the washing machine.)

Example 2:
Nous souhaitions que tu cotonnes les tissus avant de les couper.
(We wished for you to cotton the fabrics before cutting them.)

Example 3:
Je préférais que vous cotonniez les vêtements à la main plutôt qu’à la machine.
(I preferred for you to cotton the clothes by hand rather than in the machine.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cotonnasse J’aurais peur si je cotonnasse le vêtement. I would be afraid if I cottoned the clothes.
tu cotonnasses Si tu cotonnasses plus fort, tu abîmerais le tissu. If you cottoned harder, you would damage the fabric.
il cotonnât Il serait mécontent si il cotonnât trop. He would be unhappy if he cottoned too much.
elle cotonnât Elle serait surprise si elle cotonnât à l’envers. She would be surprised if she cottoned inside out.
on cotonnât Si on cotonnât plus lentement, on ne ferait pas de fautes. If one cottoned more slowly, one wouldn’t make mistakes.
nous cotonnassions Si nous cotonnassions ensemble, nous serions plus rapides. If we cottoned together, we would be faster.
vous cotonnassiez Si vous cotonnassiez plus souvent, vous seriez plus doux. If you cottoned more often, you would be gentler.
ils cotonnassent S’ils cotonnassent les deux côtés, ils économiseraient du fil. If they cottoned both sides, they would save thread.
elles cotonnassent Si elles cotonnassent correctement, les vêtements seraient plus beaux. If they cottoned properly, the clothes would be more beautiful.

Other Conjugations for Cotonner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cotonner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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