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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb décrêper

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The English translation of the French verb décrêper is “to uncrinkle” or “to straighten out.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “day-creh-pay.”

Décrêper comes from the French word “crêpe,” meaning “wrinkle,” and the prefix “dé-” which is used to indicate reversal or removal. It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express hypothetical or uncertain situations in the past.

Example 1: Il fallait que je décrêpe ma chemise avant de sortir ce matin.
Translation: I had to uncrinkle my shirt before going out this morning.

Example 2: Il était important que tu décrêpes les draps avant de les plier.
Translation: It was important for you to straighten out the sheets before folding them.

Example 3: Elle aurait préféré que nous décrêpions nos vêtements avant la soirée.
Translation: She would have preferred for us to uncrinkle our clothes before the party.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je décrêpasse Si j’étais plus patient, je décrêpasse mes cheveux plus souvent. If I were more patient, I would comb my hair more often.
tu décrêpasses Si tu décrêpasses mieux, tu aurais moins de noeuds. If you combed better, you would have fewer knots.
il décrêpât Il serait content si il décrêpât ses cheveux sans douleur. He would be happy if he combed his hair without pain.
elle décrêpât Elle serait contente si elle décrêpât ses cheveux mieux. She would be happy if she combed her hair better.
on décrêpât Si on décrêpât rapidement, on pourrait sortir plus vite. If one combed quickly, one could leave faster.
nous décrêpassions Si nous décrêpassions régulièrement, nous aurions de beaux cheveux. If we combed regularly, we would have beautiful hair.
vous décrêpassiez Si vous décrêpassiez avec soin, vous auriez de beaux cheveux. If you combed carefully, you would have beautiful hair.
ils décrêpassent S’ils décrêpassent ensemble, ça serait plus rapide. If they combed together, it would be faster.
elles décrêpassent Si elles décrêpassent plus lentement, ça serait plus doux. If they combed more slowly, it would be gentler.

Other Conjugations for Décrêper.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb décrêper
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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