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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débiner

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The English translation of the French verb débiner is “to badmouth” or “to talk behind someone’s back.” The infinitive form is pronounced “day-bee-nay.”

The word débiner comes from the Old French verb “desbiner,” which means “to slander” or “to criticize.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three examples of débiner in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Je ne voulais pas que tu débines mes amis. (I didn’t want you to badmouth my friends.)
  2. Il fallait qu’elle ne débine pas son collègue. (She had to not badmouth her colleague.)
  3. Il était important que nous ne débinions personne. (It was important that we didn’t badmouth anyone.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je débinasse Si j’étais riche, je débinasse mes amis. If I were rich, I would talk badly about my friends.
tu débinasses Si tu me débinasses, je ne serais pas content. If you talked badly about me, I wouldn’t be happy.
il débinât Il serait triste si il débinât sa famille. He would be sad if he talked badly about his family.
elle débinât Elle serait en colère si elle débinât ses collègues. She would be angry if she talked badly about her colleagues.
on débinât Si on débinât tout le monde, on n’aurait plus d’amis. If one talked badly about everyone, one would have no friends.
nous débinassions Si nous débinassions notre voisin, ça serait méchant. If we talked badly about our neighbor, it would be mean.
vous débinassiez Si vous débinassiez moins, vous seriez plus aimables. If you talked badly less, you would be more likable.
ils débinassent S’ils débinassent leurs ennemis, ça pourrait être dangereux. If they talked badly about their enemies, it could be dangerous.
elles débinassent Si elles débinassent à haute voix, ça serait malpoli. If they talked badly out loud, it would be impolite.

Other Conjugations for Débiner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débiner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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