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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb défaufiler

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The English translation of the French verb défaufiler is to unravel or to unpick. It is pronounced “deh-foh-fee-lay”.

Défaufiler comes from the French word “défaire”, meaning to undo or to unravel, and “faufiler”, meaning to slip or to thread. It is most commonly used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

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

  1. Il fallait que je défaufilasse les coutures de la robe pour la réparer. (I needed to unpick the seams of the dress to fix it.)
  2. Elle craignait que ses mensonges ne défaufilassent notre amitié. (She was afraid that her lies would unravel our friendship.)
  3. Nous étions inquiets que les médias ne défaufilassent notre projet. (We were worried that the media would unravel our project.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je défilasse Si j’étais rapide, je défilasse plus vite. If I were fast, I would unravel faster.
tu défilasses Si tu aidais plus, tu défilasses moins. If you helped more, you would unravel less.
il défilât Il serait surpris si il défilât tout le tissu. He would be surprised if he unraveled all the fabric.
elle défilât Elle serait fâchée si elle défilât le vêtement. She would be angry if she unraveled the garment.
on défilât Si on défilât le fil, on le casserait. If one unraveled the thread, one would break it.
nous défilaissions Si nous défilaissions tous les jours, nous deviendrions plus habiles. If we unraveled every day, we would become more skilled.
vous défilaissiez Si vous défilaissiez moins, vous feriez moins d’erreurs. If you unraveled less, you would make fewer mistakes.
ils défilaissent S’ils défilaissent ensemble, ça serait un beau désastre. If they unraveled together, it would be a beautiful disaster.
elles défilaissent Si elles défilaissent paisiblement, ça serait relaxant. If they unraveled peacefully, it would be relaxing.

Other Conjugations for Défaufiler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb défaufiler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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