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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débiliter

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of débiliter. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb débiliter is “to weaken” or “to debilitate.” It is pronounced as “day-bi-lee-tay.”

Débiliter comes from the Latin word debilitare, which means “to weaken.” It is a regular -er verb in French and is most often used in the subjonctif imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three simple examples of débiliter in the subjonctif imparfait tense, with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je débilite mes adversaires pour gagner la compétition. (I had to weaken my opponents to win the competition.)
  2. Je ne voulais pas qu’elle débilite ses chances de réussite en abandonnant ses études. (I didn’t want her to weaken her chances of success by dropping out of school.)
  3. Les médecins craignaient que la maladie ne débilite encore plus le patient. (The doctors feared that the illness would further debilitate the patient.)

In everyday French, débiliter in the subjonctif imparfait tense is often used in hypothetical or conditional sentences, as well as in expressing fears or doubts about a situation. It can also be used to describe the weakening or deterioration of something over time.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je débilitasse Si je travaillais trop, je débilitasse mon corps. If I worked too much, I would weaken my body.
tu débilitasses Si tu débilitasses ta santé, il faudrait consulter un médecin. If you weakened your health, you would have to consult a doctor.
il débilitât Si il débilitât son esprit, il ne pourrait pas réfléchir clairement. If he weakened his mind, he wouldn’t be able to think clearly.
elle débilitât Si elle débilitât sa mémoire, elle oublierait tout. If she weakened her memory, she would forget everything.
on débilitât Si on débilitât son corps, on ne pourrait pas faire beaucoup de sport. If one weakened their body, they wouldn’t be able to do much sports.
nous débilitassions Si nous débilitassions notre système immunitaire, nous serions plus malades. If we weakened our immune system, we would be sicker.
vous débilitassiez Si vous débilitassiez vos muscles, vous ne seriez pas en forme. If you weakened your muscles, you wouldn’t be in shape.
ils débilitassent S’ils débilitassent leurs compétences, ils ne seraient pas qualifiés pour le poste. If they weakened their skills, they wouldn’t be qualified for the position.
elles débilitassent Si elles débilitassent leurs défenses, elles seraient plus vulnérables. If they weakened their defenses, they would be more vulnerable.

Other Conjugations for Débiliter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débiliter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the débiliter Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts