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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb décapoter

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The English translation of décapoter is “to remove the top” or “to take off the top”. The infinitive form is pronounced as “deh-kah-po-ter”.

Décapoter comes from the French prefix “dé-” meaning “remove” and the word “capote” meaning “hood” or “top”. 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:

  1. Il fallait que je décapotasse la voiture avant de partir. (I had to take the top off the car before leaving.)
  2. J’aimerais que tu décapotasses le cabriolet pour qu’on puisse profiter du soleil. (I would like you to remove the top of the convertible so we can enjoy the sun.)
  3. Nous aurions aimé que vous décapotassiez le camping car pour le voyage. (We would have liked you to take the top off the camper for the trip.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je décapotasse Si j’avais la chance, je décapotasse chaque jour. If I had the chance, I would go topless every day.
tu décapotasses Si tu étais plus courageux, tu décapotasses plus souvent. If you were braver, you would go topless more often.
il décapotât Il serait heureux si il décapotât avec elle. He would be happy if he went topless with her.
elle décapotât Elle serait contente si elle décapotât pour la première fois. She would be happy if she went topless for the first time.
on décapotât Si on décapotât au soleil, on aurait des coups de soleil. If one went topless in the sun, one would get sunburned.
nous décapotassions Si nous décapotassions tous les étés, nous serions bronzés. If we went topless every summer, we would be tanned.
vous décapotassiez Si vous décapotassiez moins vite, vous auriez moins de courants d’air. If you went topless slower, you would have less drafts.
ils décapotassent S’ils décapotassent ensemble, ça serait amusant. If they went topless together, it would be fun.
elles décapotassent Si elles décapotassent plus, elles adoreraient ça. If they went topless more, they would love it.

Other Conjugations for Décapoter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb décapoter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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