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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb couturer

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The English translation of the French verb couturer is “to sew.” The infinitive form, “couturer,” is pronounced koo-tyoo-ray.

The word “couturer” comes from the French noun “couture,” meaning “sewing” or “dressmaking,” which in turn comes from the Latin word “consuere,” meaning “to sew together.”

In everyday French, the Subjonctif Imparfait tense is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used after certain conjunctions or verbs expressing doubt, emotion, or desire.

Three examples of the usage of “couturer” in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je couturasse la robe avant la fête. (It was necessary for me to sew the dress before the party.)
  2. Je préférais que tu couturasses mes vêtements plutôt que d’acheter du neuf. (I preferred that you sewed my clothes instead of buying new ones.)
  3. Ils souhaitaient que je couturasse leur uniforme pour la cérémonie. (They wished for me to sew their uniform for the ceremony.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je couturasse Elle me demandait pourquoi je ne couturasse pas mes propres vêtements. She asked me why I didn’t sew my own clothes.
tu couturasses Si tu avais un peu plus de temps, tu couturasses peut-être un peu plus. If you had a little more time, maybe you would sew a little more.
il couturât Il pourrait peut-être vous enseigner comment il couturât ces robes. He could maybe teach you how he sewed these dresses.
elle couturât Il faudrait qu’elle couturât plus de rideaux pour la maison. She should sew more curtains for the house.
on couturât Si on couturât des bandes réfléchissantes sur nos vêtements, on serait plus visibles la nuit. If we sewed reflective strips on our clothes, we would be more visible at night.
nous couturassions Nous aimerions que nous couturassions nos propres vêtements. We would like to sew our own clothes.
vous couturassiez Si vous couturassiez plus vite, vous pourriez faire plus de vêtements. If you sewed faster, you could make more clothes.
ils couturassent Il serait impressionné si ils couturassent leurs propres costumes. He would be impressed if they sewed their own costumes.
elles couturassent J’aimerais que elles couturassent leurs propres robes de mariée. I wish they would sew their own wedding dresses.

Other Conjugations for Couturer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb couturer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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