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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déchiqueter

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The English translation of the French verb déchiqueter is “to shred” or “to tear into pieces”. The infinitive form is pronounced as “day-shee-keh-tay”.

The word déchiqueter comes from the Old French word “eschichier” which means “to cut into pieces”. It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

3 examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense in everyday French are:

  1. Il fallait que je déchiquetasse les documents importants avant de les jeter. (I had to shred the important documents before throwing them away.)
  2. Nous aurions préféré que tu ne déchiquetasses pas ton contrat de travail par colère. (We would have preferred if you didn’t shred your employment contract in anger.)
  3. Le professeur voulait que les élèves déchiquetassent le papier pour faire des confettis. (The teacher wanted the students to shred the paper to make confetti.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déchiquetais Si j’avais une tondeuse, je déchiquetais la pelouse. If I had a lawnmower, I would shred the lawn.
tu déchiquetais Si tu avais des ciseaux, tu déchiquetais le papier. If you had scissors, you would shred the paper.
il déchiquetât Il serait fâché si il déchiquetât son pantalon. He would be angry if he tore his pants.
elle déchiquetât Elle serait fière si elle déchiquetât sa chemise. She would be proud if she ripped her shirt.
on déchiquetât Si on déchiquetât trop, on n’aurait plus rien. If one shredded too much, one would have nothing left.
nous déchiquetions Si nous déchiquetions les documents, ils seraient illisibles. If we shredded the documents, they would be unreadable.
vous déchiquetiez Si vous déchiquetiez le bois, vous pourriez faire du papier. If you shredded the wood, you could make paper.
ils déchiquetaient S’ils déchiquetaient la viande, ça serait plus facile à manger. If they shredded the meat, it would be easier to eat.
elles déchiquetaient Si elles déchiquetaient les fleurs, ça serait dommage. If they shredded the flowers, it would be a shame.

Other Conjugations for Déchiqueter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déchiqueter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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