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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb couchailler

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The English translation of the French verb couchailler is “to snuggle up.” It is pronounced “koo-shah-yay.”

The language origin of couchailler comes from the word “coucher,” which means “to sleep.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a wish or desire in the past.

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu couchaillais avec moi. (I wished that you snuggled up with me.)
  2. Nous voulions que vous couchailliez avec nous sous les étoiles. (We wanted you to snuggle up with us under the stars.)
  3. Il était temps que je couchaillasse dans mon lit douillet. (It was time for me to snuggle up in my cozy bed.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je couchaillasse Si je couchaillasse autant que toi, je serais fatigué. If I slept as much as you, I would be tired.
tu couchaillasses Si tu couchaillasses moins, tu serais plus productif. If you slept less, you would be more productive.
il couchaillât Il serait plus en forme s’il couchaillât plus tôt. He would be more energetic if he went to sleep earlier.
elle couchaillât Elle serait plus détendue si elle couchaillât plus tard. She would be more relaxed if she slept later.
on couchaillât Si on couchaillât plus longtemps, on serait en retard. If one slept longer, one would be late.
nous couchaillions Si nous couchaillions devant la télé, nous serions paresseux. If we slept in front of the TV, we would be lazy.
vous couchailliez Si vous couchailliez au travail, vous seriez renvoyé. If you slept at work, you would be fired.
ils couchaillaient S’ils couchaillaient moins, ils dormiraient mieux. If they slept less, they would sleep better.
elles couchaillaient Si elles couchaillaient plus longtemps, elles seraient plus fatiguées. If they slept longer, they would be more tired.

Other Conjugations for Couchailler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb couchailler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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