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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb courcailler

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The English translation of the French verb courcailler is “to squabble” or “to bicker.” The infinitive form of courcailler is pronounced as “koor-kay-yay.”

The language origin of courcailler is derived from the word “caillou,” meaning “pebble” or “stone” in French. In everyday French, courcailler is most often used in the subjonctif imparfait tense to express an ongoing or hypothetical action in the past.

3 simple examples of its usage in the subjonctif imparfait tense are:

  1. Nous voulions que nos enfants ne courcaillent pas pendant le voyage en voiture. (We wanted our children not to squabble during the car trip.)

  2. Il fallait que mes amis et moi arrêtions de courcailler pour trouver une solution. (It was necessary for my friends and I to stop bickering in order to find a solution.)

  3. Je préférais que mes parents ne courcaillent pas devant les invités. (I preferred for my parents not to squabble in front of the guests.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je courcaillasse J’aurais peur si je courcaillasse encore. I would be afraid if I kept squabbling.
tu courcaillasses Si tu n’étais pas si têtu, tu courcaillasses moins. If you weren’t so stubborn, you wouldn’t squabble as much.
il courcaillât Il serait calme si il courcaillât moins. He would be calm if he didn’t squabble as much.
elle courcaillât Elle serait plus détendue si elle courcaillât moins. She would be more relaxed if she didn’t squabble as much.
on courcaillât Si on ne courcaillât pas autant, on serait amis. If we didn’t squabble as much, we would be friends.
nous courcaillassions Si nous courcaillassions moins, nous nous entendrions mieux. If we squabbled less, we would get along better.
vous courcaillassiez Si vous courcaillassez tout le temps, vous n’arriverez à rien. If you squabble all the time, you won’t accomplish anything.
ils courcaillassent S’ils courcaillassent moins, ça serait plus agréable. If they squabbled less, it would be more pleasant.
elles courcaillassent Si elles courcaillassent ensemble, ça serait difficile à supporter. If they squabbled together, it would be hard to bear.

Other Conjugations for Courcailler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb courcailler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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