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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb daller

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The English translation of the French verb daller is “to go.” It is pronounced as “dah-lay” in the infinitive form.

The word daller comes from the Old French word “aler,” which means “to go.” It is most commonly used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is formed by using the present tense of the subjunctive with the auxiliary verb “être” or “avoir.”

Here are three simple examples of the usage of daller in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Si j’allais au cinéma ce soir, je serais en retard pour le dîner. (If I were to go to the cinema tonight, I would be late for dinner.)
  2. Il fallait que nous y allions avant qu’il ne fasse nuit. (We had to go there before it got dark.)
  3. Ils souhaitaient que leur fils aille à l’université pour devenir médecin. (They wanted their son to go to university to become a doctor.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je allasse Si je gagnais à la loterie, j’allasse en voyage. If I won the lottery, I would go on a trip.
tu allasses Si tu étais là, tu allasses avec moi. If you were here, you would come with me.
il allât Il serait content si il allât à la plage. He would be happy if he went to the beach.
elle allât Elle serait surprise si elle allât au cinéma. She would be surprised if she went to the movies.
on allât Si on allât au restaurant, on mangerait bien. If one went to the restaurant, one would eat well.
nous allassions Si nous allassions tous les jours, nous découvririons de nouveaux endroits. If we went every day, we would discover new places.
vous allassiez Si vous ne vous perdiez pas, vous allassiez plus vite. If you didn’t get lost, you would go faster.
ils allassent S’ils allasent en vacances, ils se reposeraient bien. If they went on vacation, they would rest well.
elles allassent Si elles allassent en ville ensemble, ça serait plus amusant. If they went to the city together, it would be more fun.

Other Conjugations for Daller.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb daller
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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