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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déclarer

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The English translation of the French verb déclarer is “to declare.” It is pronounced “deh-klah-reh.”

Déclarer comes from the Latin word “declarare,” meaning “to make clear.” It entered the French language in the 15th century and has since evolved to have multiple meanings and uses.

In everyday French, déclarer is often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action or situation in the past. This tense is used after certain conjunctions, such as “si” (if) or “bien que” (although).

Three examples of déclarer used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Si elle me déclarait son amour, je serais le plus heureux du monde. (If she were to declare her love for me, I would be the happiest person in the world.)

  2. Il fallait que je déclare la vérité, même si cela me faisait peur. (I had to declare the truth, even if it scared me.)

  3. Bien que tu le déclarasses innocent, personne ne te croyait. (Although you declared him innocent, no one believed you.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déclarasse Si j’étais président, je déclarasse la paix. If I were president, I would declare peace.
tu déclarasses Si tu étais plus courageux, tu déclarasses ta flamme. If you were braver, you would declare your love.
il déclarât Il serait content si il déclarât ses sentiments. He would be happy if he declared his feelings.
elle déclarât Elle serait surprise si elle déclarât la vérité. She would be surprised if she declared the truth.
on déclarât Si on déclarât à temps, on pourrait éviter le conflit. If one declared in time, one could avoid the conflict.
nous déclarassions Si nous déclarassions nos opinions, nous pourrions trouver un compromis. If we declared our opinions, we could find a compromise.
vous déclarassiez Si vous déclarassiez vos revenus, vous éviteriez les ennuis. If you declared your income, you would avoid trouble.
ils déclarassent S’ils déclarassent leurs intentions, nous pourrions mieux nous préparer. If they declared their intentions, we could better prepare.
elles déclarassent Si elles déclarassent leur affection, ça serait plus clair. If they declared their affection, it would be clearer.

Other Conjugations for Déclarer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déclarer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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