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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb délecter

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The English translation of the French verb délecter is “to delight” or “to please.” The infinitive form, délecter, is pronounced “day-lect-ay.”

The word délecter has its origins in Latin, from the word “delectare” meaning “to charm, delight, or please.” It entered the French language in the 12th century and has retained a similar meaning throughout its usage.

In everyday French, délecter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a desire or wish for something to give pleasure or delight. This tense is often used in more formal or literary contexts.

Here are three simple examples of délecter in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je me délecte des paysages magnifiques. (I wished to delight in the beautiful landscapes.)

  2. J’aimais que tu te délectasses de la cuisine française. (I liked that you would delight in French cuisine.)

  3. Il était important que nous nous délections de ces moments en famille. (It was important that we would delight in these moments with family.)

  4. It was necessary for me to delight in the beautiful landscapes.

  5. I liked that you would delight in French cuisine.

  6. It was important for us to delight in these moments with family.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je délectasse Si j’étais artiste, je délectasse mes spectateurs avec mes performances. If I were an artist, I would delight my audiences with my performances.
tu délectasses Si tu voyageais plus, tu délectasses tes sens. If you traveled more, you would delight your senses.
il délectât Il serait heureux si il délectât son palais. He would be happy if he delighted his taste buds.
elle délectât Elle serait comblée si elle délectât ses amis avec un bon repas. She would be fulfilled if she delighted her friends with a good meal.
on délectât Si on délectât moins, on apprécierait plus. If one delighted less, one would appreciate more.
nous délectassions Si nous délectassions ensemble, nous serions heureux. If we delighted together, we would be happy.
vous délectassiez Si vous délectassiez vos invités, ils reviendraient. If you delighted your guests, they would come back.
ils délectassent S’ils délectassent leur public, ils auraient du succès. If they delighted their audience, they would be successful.
elles délectassent Si elles délectassent avec leurs talents culinaires, ça serait un grand plaisir. If they delighted with their culinary talents, it would be a great pleasure.

Other Conjugations for Délecter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb délecter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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