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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déchiffonner

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The English translation of the French verb déchiffonner is “to crumple” or “to rumple.” It is pronounced as “day-shee-faw-nay” in the infinitive form.

The origin of the word déchiffonner can be traced back to the Old French word “chifon,” meaning rag or cloth. The prefix “de-” indicates negation or reversal, and the suffix “-onner” adds the idea of intensity or repetition. Therefore, déchiffonner can be interpreted as “to un-rag” or “to un-cloth.” In everyday French, déchiffonner is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three simple examples of déchiffonner in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu déchiffonnes ta lettre avant de l’envoyer. (I wished for you to crumple your letter before sending it.)
  2. Il fallait que nous déchiffonnions nos vêtements avant de les laver. (We had to crumple our clothes before washing them.)
  3. Elle voulait que je ne déchiffonne pas son dessin. (She wanted me not to crumple her drawing.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déchiffrasse Je serais impressionné si je déchiffrasse ce message. I would be impressed if I deciphered this message.
tu déchiffrasses Si tu déchiffrasses plus vite, tu serais plus efficace. If you deciphered faster, you would be more efficient.
il déchiffrât S’il déchiffrât ce code, il pourrait accéder à ses fichiers. If he deciphered this code, he could access his files.
elle déchiffrât Si elle déchiffrât mieux, elle pourrait travailler dans la cryptographie. If she deciphered better, she could work in cryptography.
on déchiffrât Si on déchiffrât ensemble, on y arriverait plus vite. If we deciphered together, we would get there faster.
nous déchiffrassions Si nous déchiffrassions ce message, nous en saurions plus. If we deciphered this message, we would know more.
vous déchiffrassiez Si vous déchiffrassiez plus fréquemment, vous seriez plus doué. If you deciphered more frequently, you would be more skilled.
ils déchiffrassent S’ils déchiffrassent ces notes, ils comprendraient mieux. If they deciphered these notes, they would understand better.
elles déchiffrassent Si elles déchiffrassent ces symboles, elles pourraient résoudre l’énigme. If they deciphered these symbols, they could solve the puzzle.

Other Conjugations for Déchiffonner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déchiffonner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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