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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débloquer

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The English translation of the French verb débloquer is “to unblock” or “to unlock”. It is pronounced as “day-bloh-kay”.

Débloquer comes from two Latin words: “de” meaning “undo” and “bloquer” meaning “to block”. It is most often used in everyday French to describe the act of removing a blockage or obstacle, either physically or figuratively.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, débloquer is used to express a wish or a hypothetical situation in the past. Here are three examples of its usage in this tense with their English translations:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu débloques la porte avant que je n’arrive. (I wished for you to unlock the door before I arrived.)
  2. Il fallait que nous débloquions la situation pour trouver une solution. (We needed to unblock the situation in order to find a solution.)
  3. J’aurais aimé que vous débloquiez votre téléphone pour que je puisse l’utiliser. (I would have liked for you to unlock your phone so that I could use it.)

In all of these examples, débloquer is used to express a desire or a necessity in the past, in a hypothetical or uncertain situation. It is often used in conjunction with “que” to introduce the Subjonctif Imparfait form of the verb.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je débloquasse Si j’avais plus de temps, je débloquasse le problème. If I had more time, I would unlock the problem.
tu débloquasses Si tu m’aidais, tu débloquasses le coffre. If you helped me, you would unlock the safe.
il débloquât Il serait déçu si il débloquât son téléphone. He would be disappointed if he unlocked his phone.
elle débloquât Elle ne le comprendrait pas si elle débloquât. She wouldn’t understand it if she unlocked it.
on débloquât Si on débloquât l’argent, on pourrait partir en vacances. If one unlocked the money, we could go on vacation.
nous déblocquions Si nous déblocquions la situation, nous serions sauvés. If we unlocked the situation, we would be saved.
vous débloquiez Si vous débloquiez votre portable, vous pourriez me joindre. If you unlocked your phone, you could reach me.
ils débloquassent S’ils débloquassent le code, ils pourraient accéder. If they unlocked the code, they could access it.
elles débloquassent Si elles débloquassent la porte, elles pourraient sortir. If they unlocked the door, they could go out.

Other Conjugations for Débloquer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débloquer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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