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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déficeler

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The English translation of the French verb déficeler is “to untie” or “to unfasten.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “day-fee-sell-ay.”

The word déficeler is derived from the Latin word “funiculus,” meaning “rope” or “cord.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a literary tense used to express a past action or state that is uncertain or hypothetical.

Three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Je craignais qu’il ne déficelât le paquet de cadeaux avant mon arrivée. (I was afraid that he would untie the gift package before my arrival.)
  2. Il était possible que je déficelasse les liens de cette amitié toxique. (It was possible that I would untie the bonds of this toxic friendship.)
  3. Nous voulions que vous déficeliez vos préjugés avant de juger les autres. (We wanted you to untie your prejudices before judging others.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déficelasse Je voudrais que je déficelasse le paquet. I would like me to untie the package.
tu déficelasses Si tu avais le temps, tu déficelasses les cordes. If you had time, you would untie the ropes.
il déficelât Il fallait que il déficelât la boîte avec soin. He needed to carefully untie the box.
elle déficelât Elle aurait préféré que elle déficelât les cadeaux. She would have preferred her to untie the gifts.
on déficelât Il faut que on déficelât les paquets avant de les ouvrir. One must untie the packages before opening them.
nous déficelassions Si nous déficelassions ensemble, ça irait plus vite. If we untied together, it would go faster.
vous déficelassiez Si vous déficelassiez la ficelle, vous pourriez l’utiliser encore. If you untied the string, you could use it again.
ils déficelaient Ils restaient là jusqu’à ce qu’ils déficelaient tous les paquets. They stayed until they untied all the packages.
elles déficelaient Elles voulaient que elles déficelaient le colis avant de le livrer. They wanted them to untie the package before delivering it.

Other Conjugations for Déficeler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déficeler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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