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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dédommager

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of dédommager. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of dédommager is “to compensate” or “to indemnify.” It is pronounced as “day-doh-mah-zhay.”

Dédommager comes from the Old French word “dommages,” meaning “damages,” and the prefix “de-” which indicates an undoing or reversal. It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a mood used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples of dédommager in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je le dédommage pour son travail acharné. (He needed to be compensated for his hard work.)
  2. Je souhaitais que tu te dédommages pour les dépenses que tu as faites. (I wished for you to be compensated for the expenses you made.)
  3. Il était important que nous les dédommagions pour leur perte financière. (It was important for us to compensate them for their financial loss.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dédommageasse Si j’avais de l’argent, je dédommageasse toutes les personnes lésées. If I had money, I would compensate all the injured people.
tu dédommageasses Si tu étais responsable, tu dédommageasses les victimes. If you were responsible, you would compensate the victims.
il dédommageât Il serait gentil qu’il dédommageât les dommages. It would be kind if he compensated for the damages.
elle dédommageât Elle serait contente si elle dédommageât les pertes. She would be happy if she compensated for the losses.
on dédommageât Si on dédommageât les citoyens, on éviterait les conflits. If one compensated the citizens, conflicts would be avoided.
nous dédommagions Si nous dédommagions les erreurs, nous éviterions les problèmes. If we compensated for the mistakes, we would avoid problems.
vous dédommagiez Si vous dédommagiez les travailleurs, ils seraient satisfaits. If you compensated the workers, they would be satisfied.
ils dédommageassent S’ils dédommageassent les dommages, ils éviteraient les amendes. If they compensated for the damages, they would avoid fines.
elles dédommageassent Si elles dédommageassent les pertes, tout le monde serait heureux. If they compensated for the losses, everyone would be happy.

Other Conjugations for Dédommager.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dédommager
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the dédommager Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts