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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débucher

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The English translation of débucher is “to come out” or “to emerge.” It is pronounced as “duh-bu-shay” in the infinitive form.

Débucher comes from the Old French word “debochier,” which means to move away or leave. 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.

Examples of débucher in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense include:

  1. Il fallait que je débuche du bureau avant que mes collègues arrivent. (I had to come out of the office before my colleagues arrived.)

  2. J’espérais que tu débuches de ta timidité et que tu parles à la fille. (I hoped that you would come out of your shyness and talk to the girl.)

  3. Elle craignait que les chiens débuchent de la forêt et l’attaquent. (She feared that the dogs would come out of the forest and attack her.)

English translations:

  1. I had to come out of the office before my colleagues arrived.

  2. I hoped that you would come out of your shyness and talk to the girl.

  3. She feared that the dogs would come out of the forest and attack her.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je débuchasse Je n’aurais pas peur si je débuchasse plus souvent. I wouldn’t be scared if I went out more often.
tu débuchasses Tu serais plus fort si tu débuchasses chaque matin. You would be stronger if you went out every morning.
il débuchât Il serait plus calme s’il débuchât à la campagne. He would be calmer if he went out to the countryside.
elle débuchât Elle serait plus en forme si elle débuchât plus tôt. She would be in better shape if she went out earlier.
on débuchât Si on débuchât plus tôt, on aurait plus de temps libre. If one went out earlier, one would have more free time.
nous débuchassions Si nous débuchassions ensemble, ça serait plus amusant. If we went out together, it would be more fun.
vous débuchassiez Si vous débuchassiez plus longtemps, vous auriez plus d’énergie. If you went out longer, you would have more energy.
ils débuchassent S’ils débuchassent plus souvent, ils seraient plus bronzés. If they went out more often, they would be more tan.
elles débuchassent Si elles débuchassent en groupe, ça serait plus convivial. If they went out in a group, it would be more friendly.

Other Conjugations for Débucher.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débucher
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Débucher – 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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