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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déharder

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The English translation of the French verb déharder is “to soften.” It is pronounced “day-ar-day.”

Déharder is a combination of the prefix “dé-” which indicates a reversal of action, and the word “harder” which means “to harden” in French. It originates from the Old French word “hardir” which meant “to make bold or courageous.” Over time, the meaning shifted to “to soften” or “to make less severe.”

In everyday French, déharder is often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense when expressing a wish, a doubt, or a hypothetical situation in the past. It is commonly used in conjunction with the conjunction “que.”

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. J’espérais que tu déhardisses ta position. (I was hoping that you would soften your stance.)
  2. Il est possible que la crème déhardît les taches. (It is possible that the cream would soften the stains.)
  3. Je souhaitais que nous déhardissions nos règles strictes. (I wished that we would soften our strict rules.)

In each of these examples, the Subjonctif Imparfait form of déharder (déhardisses, déhardît, déhardissions) is used to indicate a desired or imagined outcome in the past. The use of the Subjonctif Imparfait tense conveys a sense of uncertainty or hypothetical situation.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déhardisse Si j’avais plus de temps, je déhardisse plus souvent. If I had more time, I would relax more often.
tu déhardisses Si tu déhardisses, tu serais moins stressé. If you relaxed, you would be less stressed.
il déhardît Il serait plus heureux s’il déhardît après le travail. He would be happier if he relaxed after work.
elle déhardît Elle serait plus calme si elle déhardît avec ses amis. She would be calmer if she relaxed with her friends.
on déhardît Si on déhardît ensemble, on serait plus détendus. If we relaxed together, we would be more relaxed.
nous déhardissions Si nous déhardissions plus souvent, nous serions moins tendus. If we relaxed more often, we would be less tense.
vous déhardissiez Si vous déhardissiez après le dîner, vous dormiriez mieux. If you relaxed after dinner, you would sleep better.
ils déhardissent S’ils déhardissent avant de partir, ils arriveraient plus reposés. If they relaxed before leaving, they would arrive more rested.
elles déhardissent Si elles déhardissent à la plage, elles bronzeraient plus. If they relaxed at the beach, they would tan more.

Other Conjugations for Déharder.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déharder
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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