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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb décolorer

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English translation:

The English translation of décolorer is “to decolorize” or “to bleach.”

Pronunciation:

The infinitive form of décolorer is pronounced “day-ko-lo-ray.”

Language Origin:

Décolorer comes from the French word “décoloration,” which means “discoloration.” It is a combination of the prefix “dé,” meaning “un-” or “not,” and the word “colorer,” which means “to color.” It first appeared in the French language in the 16th century.

Usage in Subjonctif Imparfait:

Décolorer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is typically used in conjunction with the conjunction “que.”

Exemples:

  1. Il fallait que je décolore mes cheveux avant le mariage. (I had to bleach my hair before the wedding.)
  2. Je souhaitais que tu décolores cette tache sur le tapis. (I wished for you to bleach that stain on the carpet.)
  3. Elle aurait préféré que nous décolorions les murs avant de déménager. (She would have preferred for us to decolorize the walls before moving out.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je décolorasse Il voudrait que je décolorasse mes cheveux. He would like me to bleach my hair.
tu décolorasses Je n’aimerais pas que tu décolorasses tes vêtements. I wouldn’t want you to bleach your clothes.
il décolorât Elle ne voudrait pas qu’il décolorât les murs. She wouldn’t want him to bleach the walls.
elle décolorât Si elle n’avait pas peur, elle décolorât ses cheveux. If she weren’t afraid, she would bleach her hair.
on décolorât On ne voudrait pas qu’on décolorât les drapeaux. We wouldn’t want anyone to bleach the flags.
nous décolorassions Si nous décolorassions les meubles, ça serait plus clair. If we bleached the furniture, it would be brighter.
vous décolorassiez Je crains que vous décolorassiez vos vêtements. I’m afraid you’re bleaching your clothes.
ils décolorassent Il est possible que s’ils décolorassent la peinture, elle partirait. It’s possible that if they bleached the paint, it would come off.
elles décolorassent Elles aimeraient bien qu’elles décolorassent leurs cheveux. They would like to bleach their hair.

Other Conjugations for Décolorer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb décolorer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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