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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb défourner

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The English translation of the French verb défourner is “to remove from the oven” or “to take out of the oven.” It is pronounced as “day-foor-nay.”

Origins: The word défourner comes from the prefix “de-” meaning “out of” and the verb “fourner” which means “to put in the oven.” It is derived from the Latin word “fornus” meaning “oven.”

In everyday French, défourner is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, also known as the “imperfect subjunctive.” This tense is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples:

  1. Il fallait que je défourne le gâteau avant de le servir. (It was necessary for me to take the cake out of the oven before serving it.)
  2. Elle avait peur que je ne défourne le poulet trop tôt. (She was afraid that I would take the chicken out of the oven too early.)
  3. Il était possible que je défourne le pain avant qu’il ne soit cuit. (It was possible that I would take the bread out of the oven before it was fully cooked.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je défournasse Si je gagnais le concours, je défournasse des pains toute la journée. If I won the contest, I would take out breads all day.
tu défournasses Si tu n’étais pas malade, tu défournasses le four. If you weren’t sick, you would take out the oven.
il défournât Si il y avait assez de pâte, il défournât le pain sans arrêt. If there was enough dough, he would take out the bread non-stop.
elle défournât Si elle avait l’habitude, elle défournerait les gâteaux sans y penser. If she were used to it, she would take out the cakes without thinking about it.
on défournât Si on travaillait ensemble, on défournerait plus rapidement. If we worked together, we would take out faster.
nous défournassions Si nous avions le temps, nous défournassions les biscuits. If we had time, we would take out the cookies.
vous défournassiez Si vous n’étiez pas pressés, vous défourneriez plus soigneusement. If you weren’t in a hurry, you would take out more carefully.
ils défournassent S’ils avaient le courage, ils défourneraient les gâteaux eux-mêmes. If they had the courage, they would take out the cakes themselves.
elles défournassent Si elles avaient les ingrédients, elles défourneraient les tartes délicieuses. If they had the ingredients, they would take out the delicious pies.

Other Conjugations for Défourner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb défourner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Défourner – 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.

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