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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débouder

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The English translation of the French verb débouder is “to unplug” or “to disconnect”. The infinitive form of débouder is pronounced as “day-boo-deh”.

Débouder comes from the French word “bouder” which means “to sulk” or “to pout”. The prefix “dé-” adds the meaning of “undoing” or “taking apart”. Débouder is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are 3 simple examples of débouder in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je déboude le câble avant de le remplacer.
    (He had to unplug the cable before replacing it.)

  2. Je souhaitais que tu déboudes ta console de jeu pour venir m’aider.
    (I wished you would unplug your game console to come and help me.)

  3. Il craignait que sa mère ne déboude le téléphone pendant leur conversation.
    (He was afraid that his mother would unplug the phone during their conversation.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déboutasse Je ne serais pas content si je déboutasse à ce moment-là. I would not be happy if I unscrewed at that moment.
tu déboutasses Si tu déboutasses maintenant, tu devrais tout recommencer. If you unscrewed now, you would have to start all over.
il déboutât Nous serions coincés si il déboutât maintenant. We would be stuck if he unscrewed now.
elle déboutât Elle ne serait pas surprise si elle déboutât le bouchon. She would not be surprised if she unscrewed the lid.
on déboutât Si on déboutât plus fort, ça serait plus facile. If one unscrewed harder, it would be easier.
nous déboutassions Si nous déboutassions ensemble, ça serait plus rapide. If we unscrewed together, it would be faster.
vous déboutassiez Si vous déboutassiez plus souvent, vous seriez plus habile. If you unscrewed more often, you would be more skillful.
ils déboutassent S’ils déboutassent à temps, ils éviteraient le problème. If they unscrewed in time, they would avoid the problem.
elles déboutassent Si elles déboutassent ensemble, ça serait plus efficace. If they unscrewed together, it would be more efficient.

Other Conjugations for Débouder.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débouder
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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