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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cuver

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The English translation of the French verb cuver is “to recover” or “to sober up.” It is pronounced as “koo-vay” in its infinitive form.

The word cuver comes from the Latin word “cubare,” meaning “to lie down” or “to rest.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical action or a desire in the past. This tense is also commonly used in polite or formal speech.

Here are three simple examples of cuver in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je cuvasse avant de conduire. (I needed to sober up before driving.)
  2. Je souhaitais que tu te cuvasses un peu avant de partir. (I wished that you would recover a bit before leaving.)
  3. Il était important qu’ils cuvassent avant de prendre une décision. (It was important that they sober up before making a decision.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je cuvasse Si je n’étais pas malade, je cuvasse avec mes amis. If I weren’t sick, I would party with my friends.
tu cuvasses Si tu étais plus sage, tu cuvasses moins. If you were wiser, you would party less.
il cuvât Je me demande s’il cuvât comme un bébé. I wonder if he sleeps like a baby.
elle cuvât Elle était triste qu’elle cuvât seule. She was sad that she was partying alone.
on cuvât Si on cuvât à chaque soir, on serait toujours fatigué. If one partied every night, they would always be tired.
nous cuvassions Si nous cuvassions ensemble, on s’amuserait bien. If we partied together, we would have fun.
vous cuvassiez Si vous ne cuvassiez pas autant, vous ne seriez pas malades. If you didn’t party so much, you wouldn’t be sick.
ils cuvassent Ils auraient une bonne soirée s’ils cuvassent en paix. They would have a good time if they partied peacefully.
elles cuvassent Si elles ne cuvassent pas trop, elles auraient meilleure mine. If they didn’t party too much, they would look better.

Other Conjugations for Cuver.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cuver
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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