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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déchanter

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The English translation of the French verb déchanter is “to be disappointed” or “to lose one’s enthusiasm.” The infinitive form of déchanter is pronounced as “day-shahn-tay.”

Déchanter comes from the French prefix “de-” meaning “undoing” or “reversal” and the word “chanter” meaning “to sing.” It originally referred to the process of removing a layer of wax from a candelabra, which would result in the candle’s light becoming dimmer and losing its initial brightness. In modern French, déchanter is most often used metaphorically to describe a loss of enthusiasm or disappointment.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, déchanter is often used to express hypothetical or uncertain situations.

  1. J’aurais aimé que tu ne déchantes pas si vite. (I wish you hadn’t lost your enthusiasm so quickly.)
  2. Il fallait que je déchante un jour ou l’autre. (It was inevitable that I would eventually be disappointed.)
  3. Nous aurions été déçus si elle avait déchanté avant la fin du voyage. (We would have been disappointed if she had lost her enthusiasm before the end of the trip.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déchantasse J’aurais plus de temps si je déchantasse moins vite. I would have more time if I didn’t get disenchanted so quickly.
tu déchantasses Si tu déchantasses plus tôt, tu ne serais pas déçu. If you got disenchanted earlier, you wouldn’t be disappointed.
il déchantât Il serait content si il déchantât après le travail. He would be happy if he got disenchanted after work.
elle déchantât Elle serait surprise si elle déchantât vite. She would be surprised if she got disenchanted quickly.
on déchantât Si on ne déchantât pas si facilement, on serait plus heureux. If one didn’t get disenchanted so easily, one would be happier.
nous déchantassions Si nous déchantassions en groupe, nous serions plus forts. If we got disenchanted as a group, we would be stronger.
vous déchantassiez Si vous déchantassiez souvent, vous auriez moins de désillusion. If you got disenchanted often, you would have less disillusionment.
ils déchantassent S’ils déchantassent moins, ils seraient moins pessimistes. If they got disenchanted less, they would be less pessimistic.
elles déchantassent Si elles déchantassent ensemble, elles partageraient leurs expériences. If they got disenchanted together, they would share their experiences.

Other Conjugations for Déchanter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déchanter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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