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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débrancher

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The English translation of the French verb débrancher is “to unplug” or “to disconnect.” It is pronounced “day-brahn-shay” in its infinitive form.

The word débrancher is derived from the prefix dé-, meaning “off” or “un-“, and the verb brancher, meaning “to plug in” or “to connect.” It is most often used in everyday French to refer to the action of unplugging an electronic device from a power source.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past, débrancher is conjugated as follows:

Je débranchais
Tu débranchais
Il/elle débranchait
Nous débranchions
Vous débranchiez
Ils/elles débranchaient

Three simple examples of débrancher used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. J’aurais préféré que tu débranchasses l’ordinateur avant de partir. (I would have preferred that you unplug the computer before leaving.)
  2. Il fallait que nous débranchions tous les appareils avant l’orage. (We had to unplug all the devices before the storm.)
  3. Mes parents voulaient que nous débranchions la télévision pendant les repas. (My parents wanted us to unplug the television during meals.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je débranchasse Si j’étais fatigué, je débranchasse l’ordinateur. If I were tired, I would unplug the computer.
tu débranchasses Si tu quittais la pièce, tu débranchasses le téléviseur. If you left the room, you would unplug the TV.
il débranchât Il serait étonné si il débranchât tout l’équipement. He would be surprised if he unplugged all the equipment.
elle débranchât Elle se sentirait mieux si elle débranchât tous les appareils. She would feel better if she unplugged all the devices.
on débranchât Si on débranchât la prise, on économiserait de l’énergie. If one unplugged the plug, one would save energy.
nous débranchassions Si nous débranchassions tout avant de partir, nous éviterions les pannes. If we unplugged everything before leaving, we would avoid breakdowns.
vous débranchassiez Si vous débranchassiez le câble, vous pourriez le déplacer. If you unplugged the cable, you could move it.
ils débranchassent S’ils débranchassent les appareils après usage, ils économiseraient de l’argent. If they unplugged the devices after use, they would save money.
elles débranchassent Si elles débranchassent l’ordinateur ensemble, elles pourraient le déplacer facilement. If they unplugged the computer together, they could move it easily.

Other Conjugations for Débrancher.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débrancher
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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