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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débroussailler

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The English translation of the French verb débroussailler is “to clear (bushes, undergrowth)”. It is pronounced as “day-broo-say-yeh”.

The word débroussailler comes from the French word “broussailles” which means “bushes” and the verb “débrouiller” which means “to clear up” or “to untangle”. It is mostly used in every day French to describe the action of clearing bushes or undergrowth from a piece of land or a garden.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, débroussailler is conjugated as “que je débroussaillasse, que tu débroussaillasses, qu’il/elle débroussaillât, que nous débroussaillassions, que vous débroussaillassiez, qu’ils/elles débroussaillassent”.

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je débroussaillasse le jardin avant de planter les nouvelles fleurs. (I had to clear the garden before planting the new flowers.)

  2. Je souhaitais que tu débroussaillasses cette partie de la forêt pour y installer notre campement. (I wished for you to clear this part of the forest to set up our camp.)

  3. Il était important que nous débroussaillassions cette zone pour éviter les incendies en été. (It was important for us to clear this area to prevent wildfires in the summer.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je débroussaillasse Je serais plus rapide si je débroussaillasse tous les jours. I would be faster if I cleared the undergrowth every day.
tu débroussaillasses Si tu débroussaillasses plus souvent, tu aurais moins de problèmes. If you cleared the undergrowth more frequently, you would have fewer problems.
il débroussaillât Il serait plus facile de marcher si il débroussaillât ce chemin. It would be easier to walk if he cleared this path.
elle débroussaillât Elle serait plus calme si elle débroussaillât sa tête. She would be calmer if she cleared her head.
on débroussaillât Si on débroussaillât cette zone, on pourrait y construire une maison. If one cleared this area, one could build a house there.
nous débroussaillions Nous débroussaillions cette forêt pour l’agriculture. We cleared this forest for agriculture.
vous débroussailliez Si vous débroussailliez ce jardin, il serait plus beau. If you cleared this garden, it would be prettier.
ils débroussaillaient S’ils débroussaillaient plus souvent, il y aurait moins de feux de forêt. If they cleared more frequently, there would be fewer wildfires.
elles débroussaillaient Si elles débroussaillaient en équipe, elles iraient plus vite. If they cleared as a team, they would go faster.

Other Conjugations for Débroussailler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débroussailler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Débroussailler – 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.

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