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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déferler

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The English translation of the French verb déferler is “to surge” or “to roll in”. It is pronounced as “deh-fehr-leh”.

Déferler comes from the root word “ferler”, which means “to roll up”. In French, “dé-” is a prefix that often indicates a reversal or intensification of the original meaning. Therefore, déferler can be understood as the act of unrolling or unfolding, but in this case, it is used in a metaphorical sense to describe the action of waves rolling in.

In everyday French, déferler is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is also used to convey a sense of emotion or intensity. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que les vagues déferlent sur la plage. (It was necessary for the waves to surge onto the beach.)

  2. J’aimais quand les sentiments déferlaient en moi. (I loved it when emotions surged within me.)

  3. Si j’avais su, j’aurais pu empêcher la vague de déferler. (If I had known, I could have stopped the wave from surging.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déferlassse Si je pouvais surfer, je déferlassse sur les vagues. If I could surf, I would ride the waves.
tu déferlasses Si tu avais une planche, tu déferlasses sur l’océan. If you had a board, you would ride the ocean.
il déferlât Il serait heureux s’il déferlât sur les vagues. He would be happy if he rode the waves.
elle déferlât Elle serait fière si elle déferlât avec ses amis. She would be proud if she surfed with her friends.
on déferlât Si on déferlât tous ensemble, on passerait un bon moment. If we all surfed together, we would have a good time.
nous déferlassions Si nous déferlassions sur les plages du sud, ça serait formidable. If we surfed on the beaches of the south, it would be great.
vous déferlassiez Si vous déferlassiez sur les vagues, vous auriez besoin de beaucoup d’entrainement. If you surfed the waves, you would need a lot of practice.
ils déferlassent S’ils déferlassent plus souvent, ils deviendraient de meilleurs surfeurs. If they surfed more often, they would become better surfers.
elles déferlassent Si elles déferlassent ensemble, elles auraient besoin de planifier leur voyage. If they surfed together, they would need to plan their trip.

Other Conjugations for Déferler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déferler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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