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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dégripper

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The English translation of the French verb dégripper is “to unjam” or “to loosen”. The infinitive form, dégripper, is pronounced “day-gree-pay”.

The word dégripper comes from the combination of the prefix “dé-” meaning “un-” or “undo” and the word “grippe” meaning “grip” or “jam”. It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a past subjunctive tense used to express hypothetical or uncertain actions.

Examples:

  1. J’espérais que tu dégrippasses la porte avant que j’arrive. (I was hoping you would unjam the door before I arrived.)
  2. Il fallait que nous dégrippions les roues de la voiture pour pouvoir rouler. (We had to loosen the wheels of the car to be able to drive.)
  3. Je souhaitais que vous dégrippiez le robinet pour qu’il ne fuit plus. (I wanted you to unjam the faucet so it wouldn’t leak anymore.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dégrippasse Si j’avais un marteau, je dégrippasse la porte. If I had a hammer, I would unstick the door.
tu dégrippasses Si tu avais un WD-40, tu dégrippasses le vélo. If you had WD-40, you would unstick the bike.
il dégrippât Il serait en retard si il dégrippât le frein à main. He would be late if he unstick the hand brake.
elle dégrippât Elle serait furieuse si elle dégrippât la serrure. She would be furious if she unstick the lock.
on dégrippât Si on dégrippât le moteur, la voiture démarrerait. If one unstick the engine, the car would start.
nous dégrippassions Si nous dégrippassions toutes les serrures, nous ne serions pas coincés. If we unstick all the locks, we would not be stuck.
vous dégrippassiez Si vous dégrippassiez le bouchon, nous pourrions boire. If you unstick the cap, we could drink.
ils dégrippassent S’ils dégrippassent le frein à main, ils pourraient bouger la voiture. If they unstick the hand brake, they could move the car.
elles dégrippassent Si elles dégrippassent le volet, il pourrait s’ouvrir. If they unstick the shutter, it could open.

Other Conjugations for Dégripper.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dégripper
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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