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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb défausser

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The English translation of the French verb défausser is “to discard” or “to get rid of.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “dey-foh-sey.”

Défausser comes from the Old French word “defaire,” meaning “to undo” or “to take apart.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of défausser in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Si j’avais su, je me serais défaussé de mes responsabilités. (If I had known, I would have discarded my responsibilities.)
  2. Il fallait que je me défausse de mes vieux vêtements. (I needed to get rid of my old clothes.)
  3. J’aimerais que tu te défausses de cette mauvaise habitude. (I wish you would get rid of that bad habit.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je défaussasse Si je gagnais, je défaussasse toutes mes cartes. If I won, I would discard all my cards.
tu défaussasses Si tu prenais des risques, tu défaussasses tes prises. If you took risks, you would discard your winnings.
il défaussât Il serait prudent qu’il défaussât ses doutes. It would be wise for him to dispel his doubts.
elle défaussât Elle serait plus efficace si elle défaussât ses distractions. She would be more effective if she discarded her distractions.
on défaussât Si on défaussât les mauvaises influences, on progresserait mieux. If one discarded bad influences, one would make better progress.
nous défaussassions Nous améliorerions nos chances si nous défaussassions nos peurs. We would improve our chances if we discarded our fears.
vous défaussassiez Si vous défaussassiez vos préjugés, vous comprendriez mieux. If you discarded your prejudices, you would understand better.
ils défaussassent S’ils défaussassent leurs habitudes, ils auraient plus de succès. If they discarded their habits, they would have more success.
elles défaussassent Si elles défaussassent leurs excuses, elles seraient plus fortes. If they discarded their excuses, they would be stronger.

Other Conjugations for Défausser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb défausser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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