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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb couver

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The English translation of the French verb couver is “to brood” or “to hatch.” The infinitive form of couver is pronounced “koo-vay.”

Couver comes from the Latin word “cubare,” meaning “to lie down.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations are:

  1. Il fallait que je couvasse les œufs pour qu’ils puissent éclore. (I had to brood the eggs so that they could hatch.)
  2. Elle aurait aimé que tu couvasses le nid jusqu’à ce que les oiseaux soient prêts à voler. (She would have liked you to brood the nest until the birds were ready to fly.)
  3. Il était important que nous couvassions les œufs avec soin pour qu’ils ne se cassent pas. (It was important that we brooded the eggs carefully so that they wouldn’t break.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je couvasse Si je couvasse des œufs, je serais une poule. If I were to brood eggs, I would be a hen.
tu couvasses Si tu couvasses un projet, tu le mènerais à terme. If you brooded over a project, you would see it through.
il couvât Il serait fier si il couvât un nid de famille. He would be proud if he brooded over a family nest.
elle couvât Elle serait inquiète si elle couvât de nombreux œufs. She would be worried if she brooded over many eggs.
on couvât Si on couvât de bonnes idées, on aurait du succès. If one brooded over good ideas, one would be successful.
nous couvassions Si nous couvassions avec soin, nos projets grandiraient. If we carefully brooded, our projects would grow.
vous couvassiez Si vous couvassiez plus longtemps, vous accueilleriez plus d’œufs. If you brooded for longer, you would welcome more eggs.
ils couvassent S’ils couvassent ensemble, ils feraient une belle couvée. If they brooded together, they would make a beautiful brood.
elles couvassent Si elles couvassent seul, elles pourraient s’ennuyer. If they brooded alone, they might get bored.

Other Conjugations for Couver.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb couver
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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