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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dégriser

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The English translation of the French verb dégriser is “to sober up” or “to clear up.”

In French, dégriser is pronounced “day-gree-zay” in the infinitive form.

Dégriser comes from the combination of the prefix “dé-“, which indicates reversal or removal, and the word “griser”, which means “to make tipsy” or “to intoxicate.” It is most often used in everyday French to describe the process of becoming sober after being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, dégriser is used to express a conditional or hypothetical action in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense:

  1. Il fallait que je dégrise avant de rentrer chez moi. (I needed to sober up before going home.)

  2. Je souhaitais qu’il dégrise avant de prendre le volant. (I wanted him to sober up before driving.)

  3. Il fallait que nous dégrisions avant de partir au travail. (We had to sober up before going to work.)

English translations:

  1. I needed to sober up before going home.

  2. I wanted him to sober up before driving.

  3. We had to sober up before going to work.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dégrisasse Je serais heureux si je dégrisasse. I would be happy if I sobered up.
tu dégrisasses Si tu dégrisasses avant le travail, tu serais plus productif. If you sobered up before work, you would be more productive.
il dégrisât Il serait surpris si il dégrisât. He would be surprised if he sobered up.
elle dégrisât Elle saurait mieux si elle dégrisât. She would know better if she sobered up.
on dégrisât Si on dégrisât avant la fête, on serait moins fatigué. If one sobered up before the party, one would be less tired.
nous dégrisassions Si nous dégrisassions ensemble, nous nous amuserions plus. If we sobered up together, we would have more fun.
vous dégrisassiez Si vous dégrisassiez, vous pourriez conduire sans danger. If you sobered up, you could drive safely.
ils dégrisassent S’ils dégrisassent, ils seraient plus responsables. If they sobered up, they would be more responsible.
elles dégrisassent Si elles dégrisassent, elles ne se battraient pas. If they sobered up, they wouldn’t fight.

Other Conjugations for Dégriser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dégriser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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