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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb délier

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of délier. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb délier is “to untie” or “to undo.” It is pronounced as “deh-lee-ay.”

Délier comes from the Latin word “deligare,” meaning “to untie” or “to loosen.” It entered the French language in the 12th century.

In everyday French, délier is often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is also used to convey a request or suggestion.

3 examples of délier in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with English translations are:

  1. Il fallait que je délie le nœud pour ouvrir le paquet.
    (It was necessary for me to untie the knot to open the package.)

  2. Nous aurions dû délier notre amitié depuis longtemps.
    (We should have untied our friendship a long time ago.)

  3. Elle préférait que la situation se délie d’elle-même.
    (She preferred for the situation to untangle itself.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déliasse Si je avais su, je déliasse le noeud. If I had known, I would have untied the knot.
tu déliasses Si tu étais attentif, tu déliasses tes chaussures. If you were paying attention, you would untie your shoes.
il déliât Il serait moins en colère si il déliât ses cheveux. He would be less angry if he untied his hair.
elle déliât Elle se sentirait mieux si elle déliât sa robe. She would feel better if she untied her dress.
on déliât Si on déliât tous nos problèmes, on serait plus heureux. If we untied all our problems, we would be happier.
nous déliassions Si nous déliassions nos préjugés, nous aurions plus de compréhension. If we untied our prejudices, we would have more understanding.
vous déliassiez Si vous déliassiez le lasso, vous pourriez rentrer chez vous. If you untied the lasso, you could go home.
ils déliassent S’ils déliassent les ficelles, la montgolfière descendrait. If they untied the strings, the hot-air balloon would descend.
elles déliassent Si elles déliassent leurs chignons, elles seraient plus à l’aise. If they untied their buns, they would be more comfortable.

Other Conjugations for Délier.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb délier
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the délier Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts