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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débarbouiller

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The English translation of the French verb débarbouiller is “to clean up” or “to wash up”. It is pronounced as “dey-bar-boo-yay”.

Débarbouiller is derived from the French words “dé-” which means “to remove” and “barbouille” which means “mud” or “dirt”. It is most often used in everyday French language as a reflexive verb in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples:

  1. J’espérais que tu te débarbouillais avant de venir dîner. (I was hoping you had washed up before coming to dinner.)

  2. Il fallait que nous nous débarbouillions après avoir joué dans la boue. (We had to clean ourselves up after playing in the mud.)

  3. Je voulais que vous vous débarbouilliez avant d’aller voir le directeur. (I wanted you to clean up before going to see the director.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je débarbouillasse Si j’avais un bébé, je débarbouillasse son visage tous les matins. If I had a baby, I would wash his face every morning.
tu débarbouillasses Si tu avais du temps, tu débarbouillasses ta voiture. If you had time, you would wash your car.
il débarbouillât Il serait propre si il débarbouillât avant de sortir. He would be clean if he washed up before going out.
elle débarbouillât Elle s’arrangerait si elle débarbouillât ses cheveux. She would fix herself up if she washed her hair.
on débarbouillât Si on débarbouillât régulièrement, on serait plus propre. If one washed regularly, one would be cleaner.
nous débarbouillassions Nous serions en retard si nous débarbouillassions aussi longtemps. We would be late if we took as long to wash up.
vous débarbouillassiez Si vous débarbouillassiez plus souvent, vous seriez plus propre. If you washed up more often, you would be cleaner.
ils débarbouillassent S’ils débarbouillassent leurs jouets, ils ne seraient pas malades. If they washed their toys, they wouldn’t be sick.
elles débarbouillassent Si elles débarbouillassent leur visage, elles seraient plus belles. If they washed their face, they would be prettier.

Other Conjugations for Débarbouiller.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débarbouiller
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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