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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déclaveter

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of déclaveter. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb déclaveter is “to unhook” or “to unfasten.” The infinitive form of déclaveter is pronounced as “dey-clah-vuh-tay.”

Déclaveter comes from the French word “clavette” which means “key” or “wedge.” It is a compound word consisting of “de-” which means “un-” and “claveter” which means “to hook.”

Déclaveter is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is formed by using the imperfect tense of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” followed by the past participle of déclaveter.

Example 1: Si j’avais su, je l’aurais déclaveté avant qu’il ne tombe. (If I had known, I would have unhooked it before it fell.)
Example 2: Il était important que je déclavetasse la chaîne avant qu’elle ne casse. (It was important that I unhooked the chain before it broke.)
Example 3: Si tu n’avais pas oublié, tu l’aurais déclaveté comme je te l’avais demandé. (If you hadn’t forgotten, you would have unhooked it like I asked you to.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déclavetais Si j’avais le temps, je déclavetais mes chaussures. If I had the time, I would unlace my shoes.
tu déclavetais Si tu avais plus de patience, tu déclavetais plus facilement. If you had more patience, you would unlace more easily.
il déclavetât Il serait plus poli si il déclavetât avant de rentrer. He would be more polite if he unlaced before coming in.
elle déclavetât Elle serait plus confortable si elle déclavetât ses bottes. She would be more comfortable if she unlaced her boots.
on déclavetât Si on déclavetât avant d’entrer, on éviterait des accidents. If one unlaced before entering, accidents would be avoided.
nous déclavetions Si nous déclavetions à tour de rôle, ça irait plus vite. If we took turns unlacing, it would go faster.
vous déclavetiez Si vous déclavetiez avant de dormir, vous seriez plus détendus. If you unlaced before sleeping, you would be more relaxed.
ils déclavetassent S’ils déclavetassent ensemble, ils pourraient partager leur expérience. If they unlaced together, they could share their experience.
elles déclavetassent Si elles déclavetassent en silence, ça serait moins bruyant. If they unlaced in silence, it would be less noisy.

Other Conjugations for Déclaveter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déclaveter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the déclaveter Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts