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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déconcerter

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The English translation of the French verb déconcerter is “to disconcert” or “to unsettle.” It is pronounced as “day-con-sair-tay” in its infinitive form.

Déconcerter comes from the Old French word “desconcert,” which is derived from the Latin words “dis” meaning “not” and “concertare” meaning “to agree.” In everyday French, déconcerter is often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express doubts, uncertainties, or hypothetical situations.

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je te dise la vérité, même si cela te déconcertât. (I had to tell you the truth, even if it disconcerted you.)

  2. Si j’étais riche, je ne me serais pas déconcerté devant une telle situation. (If I were rich, I would not have been disconcerted by such a situation.)

  3. Il était clair qu’il avait peur de déconcerter ses parents en leur annonçant qu’il voulait devenir artiste. (It was clear that he was afraid to unsettle his parents by telling them he wanted to become an artist.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déconcertasse Si j’étais surpris, je déconcertasse mes amis. If I were surprised, I would confuse my friends.
tu déconcertasses Tu serais déçu si tu déconcertasses ta famille. You would be disappointed if you confused your family.
il déconcertât Il se sentirait mal à l’aise s’il déconcertât tout le monde. He would feel uncomfortable if he confused everyone.
elle déconcertât Elle serait gênée si elle déconcertât ses collègues. She would be embarrassed if she confused her coworkers.
on déconcertât Si on déconcertât les invités, ça ruinerait la soirée. If one confused the guests, it would ruin the evening.
nous déconcertassions Si nous déconcertassions nos professeurs, nous aurions de mauvaises notes. If we confused our teachers, we would have bad grades.
vous déconcertassiez Si vous déconcertassiez les spectateurs, la pièce serait un échec. If you confused the audience, the play would be a failure.
ils déconcertassent S’ils déconcertassent leurs adversaires, ils gagneraient le match. If they confused their opponents, they would win the game.
elles déconcertassent Si elles déconcertassent les juges, elles perdraient le procès. If they confused the judges, they would lose the trial.

Other Conjugations for Déconcerter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déconcerter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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