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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb défier

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The English translation of the French verb défier is “to defy” or “to challenge.” In its infinitive form, it is pronounced as “deh-fee-yay.”

Défier comes from the Middle French word “defiier,” which comes from the Latin verb “disfidiare” meaning “to renounce” or “to challenge.” It is most commonly used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or unreal situation in the past. It is often accompanied by the word “si” (if) to indicate the condition of the statement.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense:

  1. Si j’avais su qu’elle me défiait, je n’aurais pas accepté le défi. (If I had known that she was challenging me, I wouldn’t have accepted the challenge.)
  2. Il fallait que tu défies ta peur pour réussir. (You had to defy your fear to succeed.)
  3. Nous aurions gagné si nous n’avions pas défié les règles du jeu. (We would have won if we hadn’t defied the rules of the game.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je défiasse Si j’étais plus courageux, je défiasse mes ennemis. If I were braver, I would defy my enemies.
tu défiasses Si tu osais plus, tu défiasses les règles. If you dared more, you would challenge the rules.
il défiasse Il serait impressionné si il défiasse le champion. He would be impressed if he challenged the champion.
elle défiasse Elle aurait gagné si elle défiasse le record. She would have won if she challenged the record.
on défiasse Si on défiasse les normes, on serait révolutionnaires. If one challenged the norms, one would be revolutionary.
nous défiassions Si nous défiassions l’autorité, nous serions en danger. If we defied authority, we would be in danger.
vous défiassiez Si vous défiassiez les attentes, vous seriez audacieux. If you defied expectations, you would be bold.
ils défiasent S’ils défiasent les règles, ils seraient disqualifiés. If they challenged the rules, they would be disqualified.
elles défiasent Si elles se défiasent entre elles, ça serait un désastre. If they challenged each other, it would be a disaster.

Other Conjugations for Défier.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb défier
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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