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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb coûter

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The English translation of the French verb coûter is “to cost.” It is pronounced /ku.te/ in its infinitive form.

The language origin of coûter can be traced back to the Latin verb “constare,” meaning “to cost.” It entered the French language in the 12th century and has remained a common verb in everyday usage.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, coûter is used to express a wish, a doubt, or a hypothetical situation in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que cela coûtât cher. – It was necessary for it to be expensive.
  2. Je souhaitais que ce voyage coûtât moins cher. – I wished that this trip would cost less.
  3. Si j’avais su, je ne l’aurais pas acheté car cela aurait coûté trop cher. – If I had known, I wouldn’t have bought it because it would have cost too much.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je coûtasse Si j’étais riche, je coûtasse cher. If I were rich, it would cost me a lot.
tu coûtasses Si tu dépensais moins, ça coûtasses moins cher. If you spent less, it would cost less.
il coûtât Il serait surpris si il coûtât autant. He would be surprised if it cost so much.
elle coûtât Elle serait en colère si elle coûtât trop. She would be angry if it cost too much.
on coûtât Si on achetait plus, ça coûtât plus cher. If one bought more, it would cost more.
nous coûtassions Si nous payassions en espèces, ça coûtassions moins cher. If we paid in cash, it would cost less.
vous coûtassiez Si vous choisissiez l’option la moins chère, ça coûtassiez moins. If you chose the cheapest option, it would cost less.
ils coûtassent S’ils achetaient en gros, ça coûtassent moins cher. If they bought in bulk, it would cost less.
elles coûtassent Si elles dépensaient plus, ça coûtassent plus cher. If they spent more, it would cost more.

Other Conjugations for Coûter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb coûter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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