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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb côtoyer

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The English translation of the French verb côtoyer is “to rub shoulders with” or “to be alongside.” The infinitive form is pronounced “koh-twa-yay.”

The word côtoyer comes from the Old French word “cot”, meaning “side.” It is most often used in everyday French to describe being in close proximity or contact with someone or something. In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, côtoyer expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Example 1:
French: Il fallait que je côtoie mes collègues tous les jours.
English: I had to rub shoulders with my colleagues every day.

Example 2:
French: Je préférais que tu côtoyais la nature plutôt que de rester à la maison.
English: I preferred that you were alongside nature instead of staying at home.

Example 3:
French: Il était important que nous côtoyions les membres de la communauté pour mieux les comprendre.
English: It was important that we were in close contact with community members to better understand them.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je côtoyasse Je serais content si je côtoyasse plus de gens intelligents. I would be happy if I surrounded myself with more intelligent people.
tu côtoyasses Si tu côtoyasses moins de personnes toxiques, tu serais plus heureux. If you were around fewer toxic people, you would be happier.
il côtoyât S’il côtoyât plus d’animaux sauvages, il serait plus aventurier. If he encountered more wild animals, he would be more adventurous.
elle côtoyât Elle serait plus à l’aise si elle côtoyât des personnes de son âge. She would be more comfortable if she hung out with people her age.
on côtoyât Si on côtoyât moins de monde, on aurait moins de conflits. If one encountered fewer people, there would be less conflict.
nous côtoyassions Si nous côtoyassions plus souvent, nous nous connaîtrions mieux. If we hung out more often, we would know each other better.
vous côtoyassiez Si vous côtoyassiez plus de cultures différentes, vous seriez plus ouvert d’esprit. If you encountered more different cultures, you would be more open-minded.
ils côtoyassent S’ils côtoyassent plus de célébrités, ils se sentiraient plus importants. If they were around more celebrities, they would feel more important.
elles côtoyassent Si elles côtoyassent des gens plus motivés, elles seraient plus productives. If they hung out with more motivated people, they would be more productive.

Other Conjugations for Côtoyer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb côtoyer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Côtoyer – 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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