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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dégainer

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The English translation of the French verb dégainer is “to draw (a weapon)”. The infinitive form, dégainer, is pronounced as “day-ga-nay”.

The word dégainer comes from the Old French word “degaignier”, which means “to unsheathe”. It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is formed by using the subjunctive present of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” and adding the past participle of the verb. In the case of dégainer, it would be “avoir” in the present subjunctive form (aie, aies, ait, ayons, ayez, aient) + the past participle “dégainé”.

Here are three simple examples of dégainer in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their English translations:

  1. Si j’avais été plus rapide, j’aurais dégainé mon épée avant qu’il ne m’atteigne. (If I had been faster, I would have drawn my sword before he reached me.)

  2. Il était important que je dégaine mon arme avant qu’il ne soit trop tard. (It was important that I drew my weapon before it was too late.)

  3. Nous ne savions pas quand il allait dégainer son pistolet, mais nous étions prêts à réagir. (We didn’t know when he would draw his gun, but we were ready to react.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dégainasse Si j’étais rapide, je dégainasse mon épée. If I were quick, I would draw my sword.
tu dégainasses Si tu te dépêchais, tu dégainasses plus vite. If you hurried, you would draw faster.
il dégainât Il dégainât son arme si il avait peur. He would draw his weapon if he were afraid.
elle dégainât Elle dégainât son revolver si elle était menacée. She would draw her gun if she were threatened.
on dégainât Si on dégainât ensemble, on serait plus efficace. If we drew together, we would be more efficient.
nous dégainassions Si nous dégainassions plus tôt, nous aurions gagné. If we had drawn earlier, we would have won.
vous dégainassiez Si vous dégainassiez en même temps, cela serait plus dramatique. If you drew at the same time, it would be more dramatic.
ils dégainassent S’ils dégainassent sans réfléchir, ils pourraient se blesser. If they drew without thinking, they could get hurt.
elles dégainassent Si elles dégainassent leur sabre, elles pourraient se battre. If they drew their sabers, they could fight.

Other Conjugations for Dégainer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dégainer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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