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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb décerveler

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The English translation of the French verb décerveler is “to brainwash.” It is pronounced as “day-sehr-vuh-lay.”

The word décerveler is derived from the French noun cerveau, meaning “brain.” The prefix dé- indicates a reversal or removal of something, so décerveler can be interpreted as “to remove or reverse the effects on the brain.”

In everyday French, décerveler is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is often used for reported speech, wishes, and doubts.

Example 1:
Je souhaitais que tu ne te laisses pas décerveler par ces idées extrémistes.
I wished that you wouldn’t let yourself be brainwashed by these extremist ideas.

Example 2:
Il doutait que les techniques de décervelage utilisées par le groupe soient efficaces.
He doubted that the brainwashing techniques used by the group were effective.

Example 3:
Nous recommandions qu’ils ne se laissent pas décerveler par les médias.
We recommended that they not let themselves be brainwashed by the media.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je décervelasse Si je décervelasse, je ne ferais plus de bêtises. If I were to lose my mind, I would not do any more stupid things.
tu décervelasses Si tu décervelasses, tu ne serais plus toi-même. If you were to lose your mind, you wouldn’t be yourself anymore.
il décervelât Si il décervelât, il ne pourrait plus penser. If he were to lose his mind, he wouldn’t be able to think anymore.
elle décervelât Si elle décervelât, elle ne pourrait plus raisonner. If she were to lose her mind, she wouldn’t be able to reason anymore.
on décervelât Si on décervelât, on ne pourrait plus agir correctement. If one were to lose their mind, they wouldn’t be able to act properly.
nous décervelassions Si nous décervelassions, nous serions tous fous. If we were to lose our minds, we would all be crazy.
vous décervelassiez Si vous décervelassiez, vous ne sauriez plus réfléchir. If you were to lose your minds, you wouldn’t be able to think anymore.
ils décervelassent S’ils décervelassent, ils ne seraient plus capables de fonctionner. If they were to lose their minds, they wouldn’t be able to function anymore.
elles décervelassent Si elles décervelassent, elles ne pourraient plus prendre de décisions. If they were to lose their minds, they wouldn’t be able to make decisions anymore.

Other Conjugations for Décerveler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb décerveler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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