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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb décoloniser

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The English translation of the French verb décoloniser is “to decolonize.” It is pronounced as “day-koh-loh-nee-zay” in the infinitive form.

Décoloniser comes from the prefix “dé-” which means “to remove” or “to undo” and the word “coloniser” which means “to colonize.” It is most often used in everyday French to describe the process of ending the colonization of a country or region by another country.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, décoloniser is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. J’aurais aimé que nous décolonisions ce pays plus tôt. (I wish we had decolonized this country earlier.)

  2. Il fallait que les colons décolonisent leurs mentalités. (It was necessary for the colonizers to decolonize their mindsets.)

  3. Nous aurions pu décoloniser nos méthodes de gouvernance. (We could have decolonized our methods of governance.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je décolonisasse Je souhaiterais que je décolonisasse mon pays. I wish I could decolonize my country.
tu décolonisasses Si tu avais le pouvoir, tu décolonisasses rapidement. If you had the power, you would decolonize quickly.
il décolonisât Il serait temps qu’il décolonisât ses pensées. It’s time for him to decolonize his thoughts.
elle décolonisât Elle souhaiterait que l’on décolonisât le monde. She wishes that the world would be decolonized.
on décolonisât Si on décolonisât nos mentalités, on pourrait construire un monde meilleur. If we decolonized our mindsets, we could build a better world.
nous décolonisassions Si nous décolonisassions ensemble, nous pourrions changer les choses. If we decolonized together, we could make a difference.
vous décolonisassiez Si vous décolonisassiez vos pratiques, vous seriez plus inclusifs. If you decolonized your practices, you would be more inclusive.
ils décolonisassent S’ils décolonisassent leurs institutions, le système serait plus équitable. If they decolonized their institutions, the system would be more fair.
elles décolonisassent Si elles décolonisassent leur histoire, elles pourraient guérir de leurs blessures. If they decolonized their history, they could heal from their wounds.

Other Conjugations for Décoloniser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb décoloniser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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