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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb décrocher

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The English translation of the French verb décrocher is “to unhook” or “to take down”. The infinitive form, décrocher, is pronounced as “day-crow-shay”.

The word décrocher comes from the Old French word “descrochier” which means “to unhook”. It is derived from the Latin word “discrocare” which means “to separate”. In everyday French, décrocher is commonly used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense. This tense is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

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

  1. Je souhaitais que tu décroches le tableau avant qu’il ne tombe. (I wanted you to take down the painting before it fell.)
  2. Il fallait que nous décrochions les rideaux pour laisser entrer plus de lumière. (We had to unhook the curtains to let in more light.)
  3. Elle préférait que vous décrochiez vos affiches avant de partir. (She preferred that you take down your posters before leaving.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je décrochasse Je pourrais y aller si je décrochasse plus tôt. I could go there if I left earlier.
tu décrochasses Si tu décrochasses le téléphone, je te remercierais. If you answered the phone, I would thank you.
il décrochât Si il décrochât, nous ne raterions pas cet appel. If he answered, we wouldn’t miss this call.
elle décrochât Elle serait fière si elle le décrochât. She would be proud if she answered it.
on décrochât Si on décrochât plus souvent, on pourrait résoudre des problèmes. If one answered more often, one could solve problems.
nous décrochassions Si nous décrochassions à tour de rôle, cela serait plus équitable. If we answered in turns, it would be more fair.
vous décrochassiez Si vous décrochassiez moins, vous pourriez vous reposer. If you answered less, you could rest.
ils décrochassent Si ils décrochassent rapidement, ils auraient plus de temps libre. If they answered quickly, they would have more free time.
elles décrochassent Si elles décrochassent en même temps, ça serait perturbant. If they answered at the same time, it would be disturbing.

Other Conjugations for Décrocher.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb décrocher
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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