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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cuirasser

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The English translation of the French verb cuirasser is “to armor” or “to protect with armor.” It is pronounced “kwee-rah-say” in its infinitive form.

The verb cuirasser comes from the French word “cuirasse,” meaning “breastplate” or “body armor.” It ultimately derives from the Latin word “coriaceus,” which means “made of leather.”

In everyday French, cuirasser is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is formed by using the imperfect subjunctive form of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” followed by the past participle of cuirasser.

Here are three simple examples of cuirasser used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je me cuirassasse avant de partir à la bataille. (It was necessary for me to armor myself before going to battle.)

  2. Si j’avais su, je me serais cuirassé contre ses critiques. (If I had known, I would have protected myself against his criticisms.)

  3. Il souhaitait que son fils se cuirassât contre les dangers de la vie. (He wished for his son to protect himself against the dangers of life.)

  4. It was necessary for me to armor myself before going to battle.

  5. If I had known, I would have protected myself against his criticisms.

  6. He wished for his son to protect himself against the dangers of life.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cuirassasse Si j’avais plus de temps, je cuirassasse mes cheveux. If I had more time, I would protect my hair.
tu cuirassasses Si tu étais ici, tu cuirassasses ton armure. If you were here, you would protect your armor.
il cuirassât Il serait plus fort s’il se cuirassât le corps. He would be stronger if he protected his body.
elle cuirassât Elle serait plus confiante si elle se cuirassât le cœur. She would be more confident if she protected her heart.
on cuirassât Si on se cuirassât contre la pluie, on ne serait pas mouillé. If one protected themselves against the rain, they wouldn’t get wet.
nous cuirassassions Si nous cuirassassions mieux nos données, nous serions plus en sécurité. If we protected our data better, we would be safer.
vous cuirassassiez Si vous cuirassassiez vos mots, vous ne diriez pas tout. If you protected your words, you wouldn’t say everything.
ils cuirassassent S’ils cuirassassent leur identité, ils ne se feraient pas voler. If they protected their identity, they wouldn’t get robbed.
elles cuirassassent Si elles cuirassassent leur fierté, elles ne seraient pas blessées. If they protected their pride, they wouldn’t be hurt.

Other Conjugations for Cuirasser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cuirasser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Cuirasser – 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.

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