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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb décréter

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The English translation of the French verb décréter is “to decree” or “to declare.” The infinitive form of décréter is pronounced as “deh-kreh-teh.”

Décréter comes from the Latin word “decretare,” meaning “to decide” or “to determine.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express an action that is uncertain, hypothetical, or subjective.

Here are three simple examples of décréter used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que le président décrétât l’état d’urgence. (It was necessary for the president to declare a state of emergency.)
  2. J’aimerais que tu décrétasses une journée de congé pour tout le monde. (I would like you to decree a day off for everyone.)
  3. Elle souhaitait que le juge décrétât une peine plus lourde. (She wished for the judge to decree a heavier sentence.)

In all of these examples, décréter is used to express a desire or wish for something to be declared or decreed.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je décrétasse Si je gagnais à la loterie, je décrétasse un jour férié. If I won the lottery, I would declare a holiday.
tu décrétasses Si tu avais le pouvoir, tu décrétasses la paix. If you had the power, you would declare peace.
il décrétât Il serait content si il décrétât une réduction d’impôts. He would be happy if he decreed a tax reduction.
elle décrétât Elle serait surprise si elle décrétât une nouvelle loi. She would be surprised if she decreed a new law.
on décrétât Si on décrétât la liberté, tout le monde serait heureux. If one decreed freedom, everyone would be happy.
nous décrétassions Si nous décrétassions un jour férié, nous pourrions nous reposer. If we declared a holiday, we could rest.
vous décrétassiez Si vous décrétassiez une amnistie, vous seriez populaires. If you decreed an amnesty, you would be popular.
ils décrétassent S’ils décrétassent de nouvelles règles, ça pourrait causer des problèmes. If they decreed new rules, it could cause problems.
elles décrétassent Si elles décrétassent une trêve, la guerre pourrait cesser. If they decreed a truce, the war could end.

Other Conjugations for Décréter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb décréter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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