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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déjouer

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The English translation of the French verb déjouer is “to thwart” or “to outsmart.” It is pronounced “day-zhoo-eh.”

Déjouer comes from the Old French word “desjouer” which means “to defeat in a game” and is derived from the Latin word “dis-iocare” which means “to play.”

In everyday French, déjouer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It can be used to talk about actions that did not happen or were not completed.

Here are three simple examples of déjouer in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je déjoue ses plans pour qu’il n’obtienne pas le poste. (I had to thwart his plans so that he would not get the job.)
  2. Ils auraient pu déjouer le cambriolage s’ils avaient installé un système de sécurité. (They could have thwarted the burglary if they had installed a security system.)
  3. Elle craignait que son ex-mari ne déjoue à nouveau sa tentative de fuite. (She feared that her ex-husband would once again thwart her attempt to escape.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déjouasse Si j’avais plus de temps, je déjouasse plus souvent. If I had more time, I would thwart more often.
tu déjouasses Si tu comprenais mieux, tu déjouasses plus facilement. If you understood better, you would thwart more easily.
il déjouât Il serait furieux si il déjouât ses plans. He would be furious if he thwarted his plans.
elle déjouât Elle pleurerait si elle déjouât le plan. She would cry if she thwarted the plan.
on déjouât Je ne sais pas comment on déjouât cette situation. I don’t know how one would thwart this situation.
nous déjouassions Si nous déjouassions plus souvent, nous aurions moins d’ennuis. If we thwarted more often, we would have less trouble.
vous déjouassiez Si vous déjouassiez moins, vous réussiriez mieux. If you thwarted less, you would succeed better.
ils déjouassent S’ils déjouassent le plan, ils seraient en danger. If they thwarted the plan, they would be in danger.
elles déjouassent Si elles déjouassent l’ennemi, elles gagneraient la guerre. If they thwarted the enemy, they would win the war.

Other Conjugations for Déjouer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déjouer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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