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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb délicoter

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The English translation of the French verb délicoter is “to disentangle” or “to unravel.” It is pronounced as “day-lih-koh-teh.”

Délicoter comes from the French word “délicot” which means “to untangle.” It is derived from the Latin word “delicatus” which means “delicate” or “exquisite.”

In everyday French, délicoter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a past possibility or hypothetical situation. This tense is formed by using the present subjunctive of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” followed by the past participle of délicoter.

Here are 3 simple examples of délicoter in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que tu délicotes les fils avant de les tisser.
    (You had to unravel the threads before weaving them.)

  2. Elle souhaitait que je délicote les nœuds dans ses cheveux.
    (She wished for me to untangle the knots in her hair.)

  3. Nous aurions aimé que vous délicotiez les mensonges de votre ami.
    (We would have liked for you to unravel the lies of your friend.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je délicotasse Si j’avais le temps, je délicotasse toutes les tâches. If I had the time, I would meticulously finish all the tasks.
tu délicotasses Tu serais plus détendu si tu délicotasses moins. You would be more relaxed if you were less meticulous.
il délicotât Il serait content si il délicotât son assiette. He would be happy if he meticulously finished his plate.
elle délicotât Elle serait surprise si elle délicotât toutes les tâches. She would be surprised if she meticulously finished all the tasks.
on délicotât Si on délicotât les tâches, on serait plus productif. If one finished tasks meticulously, one would be more productive.
nous délicotassions Si nous délicotassions tous les détails, tout serait parfait. If we meticulously finished all the details, everything would be perfect.
vous délicotassiez Si vous délicotassiez vos vêtements, ils dureraient plus longtemps. If you meticulously finished your clothes, they would last longer.
ils délicotassent S’ils délicotassent leur travail, ils auraient de meilleurs résultats. If they meticulously finished their work, they would have better results.
elles délicotassent Si elles délicotassent leurs tâches ménagères, la maison serait plus propre. If they meticulously finished their household chores, the house would be cleaner.

Other Conjugations for Délicoter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb délicoter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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