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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dégeler

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The English translation of the French verb dégeler is “to thaw” or “to defrost.” The infinitive form is pronounced “day-zhel-ay.”

Dé geler originates from the French word “geler,” meaning “to freeze.” The prefix “dé-” added to the beginning indicates a reversal of the action. In everyday French, dégeler is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense as a hypothetical or uncertain form of the verb.

Some common examples of dégeler in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je dégelasse le poulet avant de le cuisiner. (It was necessary for me to thaw the chicken before cooking it.)
  2. Je préférais que tu dégelasses le frigo avant de mettre les courses. (I would have preferred for you to defrost the fridge before putting away the groceries.)
  3. Il souhaitait que nous dégelassions les relations entre nos deux pays. (He wished for us to thaw the relations between our two countries.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dégelasse Je serais content si je dégelasse le frigo avant le dîner. I would be happy if I defrosted the fridge before dinner.
tu dégelasses Tu serais en retard si tu dégelasses la voiture maintenant. You would be late if you defrosted the car now.
il dégelât Il serait surpris si il dégelât la glace aussi vite. He would be surprised if he thawed the ice so quickly.
elle dégelât Elle serait contente si elle dégelât le poisson avant de le cuisiner. She would be happy if she defrosted the fish before cooking it.
on dégelât Si on dégelât le poulet, on pourrait le cuisiner. If one thawed the chicken, one could cook it.
nous dégelassions Si nous dégelassions les légumes, nous pourrions les manger frais. If we thawed the vegetables, we could eat them fresh.
vous dégelassiez Si vous dégelassiez le beurre, vous pourriez l’utiliser pour faire des crêpes. If you thawed the butter, you could use it to make pancakes.
ils dégelassent S’ils dégelassent la viande maintenant, elle sera prête pour le dîner. If they thawed the meat now, it will be ready for dinner.
elles dégelassent Si elles dégelassent le gâteau, elles pourraient le manger tout de suite. If they thawed the cake, they could eat it right away.

Other Conjugations for Dégeler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dégeler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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