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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb décalcifier

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The English translation of the French verb décalcifier is “to decalcify.” It is pronounced as “day-kal-see-fee-ay” in its infinitive form.

Décalcifier comes from the Latin word “calcium,” which means “lime” or “limestone.” In French, it is most often used to refer to the process of removing calcium deposits, such as limescale, from objects, surfaces, or materials.

In everyday French, décalcifier is also commonly used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense. This tense is used to express a hypothetical action or a wish in the past. It is formed by using the present tense of the subjunctive mood of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être,” followed by the past participle of the verb.

Here are three simple examples of décalcifier used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que nous décalcifiassions la cafetière avant de la réutiliser.
    (We had to decalcify the coffee maker before using it again.)

  2. J’aurais préféré que tu décalcifies les robinets plus souvent.
    (I would have preferred if you decalcified the faucets more often.)

  3. Il était nécessaire que vous décalcifiiez les canalisations régulièrement.
    (It was necessary for you to decalcify the pipes regularly.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je décalcifiasse Je ne sais pas si je décalcifiasse la machine correctement. I don’t know if I was correctly decalcifying the machine.
tu décalcifiasses Si tu décalcifiasses plus souvent, ton café serait meilleur. If you decalcified more often, your coffee would be better.
il décalcifiât Il serait heureux si il décalcifiât le lave-vaisselle. He would be happy if he decalcified the dishwasher.
elle décalcifiât Si elle décalcifiât régulièrement, elle aurait moins de problèmes. If she decalcified regularly, she would have fewer problems.
on décalcifiât Si on décalcifiât l’eau, on aurait moins de dépôts. If one decalcified the water, there would be less deposits.
nous décalcifiassions Si nous décalcifiassions ensemble, ça serait plus facile. If we decalcified together, it would be easier.
vous décalcifiassiez Si vous décalcifiassiez en utilisant du vinaigre, ça serait plus écologique. If you decalcified using vinegar, it would be more ecological.
ils décalcifiassent S’ils décalcifiassent plus souvent, ils auraient moins de pannes. If they decalcified more often, they would have fewer breakdowns.
elles décalcifiassent Si elles décalcifiassent ensemble, ça serait plus rapide. If they decalcified together, it would be faster.

Other Conjugations for Décalcifier.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb décalcifier
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!
   

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

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