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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dégager

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The English translation of the French verb dégager is “to clear” or “to release.” The infinitive form of dégager is pronounced as “day-gah-zhay.”

The verb dégager comes from the Old French word “degagier,” which is derived from the Latin word “disgagiare” meaning “to unburden.” In everyday French, dégager is most commonly used to express the action of freeing or clearing something or someone from an obstruction or burden. It can also be used in a figurative sense to mean “to release” or “to let go.”

Examples of dégager in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il était important que tu dégages la route avant de partir. (It was important that you clear the road before leaving.)
  2. Nous souhaitions que le gouvernement dégage des fonds pour les écoles. (We wished for the government to release funds for schools.)
  3. Il fallait qu’elle dégage son esprit des pensées négatives. (She needed to clear her mind from negative thoughts.)

English translations:

  1. It was important for you to clear the road before leaving.
  2. We hoped for the government to release funds for schools.
  3. She had to clear her mind from negative thoughts.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dégageasse Si j’avais le temps, je dégageasse toutes mes obligations. If I had the time, I would clear all my obligations.
tu dégageasses Si tu n’avais pas peur, tu dégageasses plus de confiance. If you weren’t afraid, you would exude more confidence.
il dégageât Il se sentirait mieux si il dégageât son stress. He would feel better if he could release his stress.
elle dégageât Elle réussirait si elle dégageât de l’énergie positive. She would succeed if she emitted positive energy.
on dégageât Si on n’avait pas d’attentes, on dégageât plus de liberté. If one didn’t have expectations, one would have more freedom.
nous dégageassions Si nous n’avions pas peur, nous dégageassions plus de confiance. If we weren’t afraid, we would exude more confidence.
vous dégageassiez Si vous dégageassiez plus d’énergie, vous réussiriez mieux. If you emitted more energy, you would succeed better.
ils dégageassent S’ils dégageassent leur stress, ils auraient plus de sérénité. If they released their stress, they would have more serenity.
elles dégageassent Si elles dégageassent de l’enthousiasme, elles réussiraient mieux. If they exuded enthusiasm, they would succeed better.

Other Conjugations for Dégager.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dégager
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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