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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dégermer

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The English translation of the French verb dégermer is to remove the germ or to de-germ. The infinitive form of dégermer is pronounced as “day-zher-may”.

Dégermer comes from the French word “germe”, which means germ, and the prefix “de-“, which indicates removal or separation. It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three examples of dégermer used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Je préférais que tu dégermasse les pommes de terre avant de les éplucher. (I would prefer you de-germed the potatoes before peeling them.)
  2. Il fallait que nous dégermassions les graines avant de les planter. (We had to de-germ the seeds before planting them.)
  3. Je souhaitais que vous dégermassiez les légumes avant de les cuisiner. (I wished that you de-germed the vegetables before cooking them.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dégermasse Je préférerais que je dégermasse les pommes avant de les manger. I would prefer to germ the apples before eating them.
tu dégermasses Tu serais plus efficace si tu dégermasses régulièrement. You would be more efficient if you germed regularly.
il dégermât Il serait préférable que il dégermât les graines avant de les planter. It would be preferable if he germed the seeds before planting them.
elle dégermât Elle souhaiterait que elle dégermât les légumes avant de les cuisiner. She would like to germ the vegetables before cooking them.
on dégermât Si on dégermât les patates, elles dureraient plus longtemps. If one germed the potatoes, they would last longer.
nous dégermassions Nous dégermassions les graines ensemble pour économiser du temps. We germ the seeds together to save time.
vous dégermassiez Si vous dégermassiez la farine, elle se conserverait mieux. If you germed the flour, it would keep better.
ils dégermassent S’ils dégermassent les germes, ils ne seraient plus en danger. If they germ the germs, they would no longer be in danger.
elles dégermassent Si elles dégermassent avant de cuisiner, la nourriture serait plus saine. If they germ before cooking, the food would be healthier.

Other Conjugations for Dégermer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dégermer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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