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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb décaler

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of décaler. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb décaler is “to shift” or “to reschedule.” It is pronounced “dey-kah-leh” in its infinitive form.

The word décaler comes from the combination of the prefix “dé-” which indicates a reversal or movement away from, and the verb “caler” which means “to wedge” or “to fit.” Together, they create the meaning of “to move away” or “to shift.”

In everyday French, décaler is commonly used in the Subjonctif Imparfait (imperfect subjunctive) tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used after the conjunction “si” (if) to express a condition or after other verbs such as “vouloir” (to want) or “pouvoir” (to be able to) to express a desired or possible action.

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

  1. Si j’étais malade, je décalerais mon rendez-vous chez le médecin. (If I were sick, I would reschedule my appointment with the doctor.)
  2. Il voulait que nous décalions nos vacances d’une semaine. (He wanted us to shift our vacation by a week.)
  3. Je pouvais décaler mon départ si nécessaire. (I could reschedule my departure if necessary.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je décalasse Si je travaillais plus, je décalasse mes horaires. If I worked more, I would shift my schedule.
tu décalasses Si tu te dépêchais, tu décalasses le rendez-vous. If you hurried, you would reschedule the meeting.
il décalât Si il avait des vacances, il décalât son voyage. If he had vacation, he would postpone his trip.
elle décalât Si elle était en avance, elle décalât son réveil. If she were early, she would set back her alarm.
on décalât Si on avait des problèmes, on décalât la réunion. If we had issues, we would push back the meeting.
nous décalassions Si nous étions fatigués, nous décalassions la soirée. If we were tired, we would move the party.
vous décalassiez Si vous étudiiez plus, vous décalassiez votre examen. If you studied more, you would reschedule your exam.
ils décalassent S’ils étaient en retard, ils décalassent le vol. If they were late, they would reschedule their flight.
elles décalassent Si elles avaient des engagements, elles décalassent leurs rendez-vous. If they had commitments, they would reschedule their appointments.

Other Conjugations for Décaler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb décaler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the décaler Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts