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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb délinéer

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The English translation of the French verb délinéer is “to outline” or “to delineate.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “day-lee-nay.”

Délinéer comes from the Latin word “delinire,” meaning “to draw a line.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express hypothetical situations or actions in the past.

Here are 3 examples of délinéer in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je délinéasse les différentes étapes du projet. (It was necessary that I outline the different steps of the project.)
  2. Elle souhaitait que je délinéât les différentes parties du texte. (She wanted me to delineate the different parts of the text.)
  3. Nous préférions que tu délinéasses les contours de la ville sur la carte. (We preferred that you outline the city’s borders on the map.)

In each of these examples, délinéer is used to express a desired or necessary action in the past. The Subjonctif Imparfait tense is often used in more formal or literary contexts in French, but it can also be used in everyday speech.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je délinéasse Si j’avais le temps, je délinéasse mes projets plus en détail. If I had time, I would outline my plans in more detail.
tu délinéasses Si tu travaillais moins, tu délinéasses mieux tes idées. If you worked less, you would outline your ideas better.
il délinéât Il serait plus organisé si il délinéât ses tâches à l’avance. He would be more organized if he outlined his tasks in advance.
elle délinéât Elle serait plus efficace si elle délinéât ses objectifs clairement. She would be more efficient if she outlined her goals clearly.
on délinéât Si on délinéât mieux l’ordre du jour, on gagnerait du temps. If one outlined the agenda better, one would save time.
nous délinéassions Si nous délinéassions nos priorités, nous serions plus productifs. If we outlined our priorities, we would be more productive.
vous délinéassiez Si vous délinéassiez vos responsabilités, vous auriez moins de stress. If you outlined your responsibilities, you would have less stress.
ils délinéassent S’ils délinéassent leurs projets en détail, ils auraient plus de succès. If they outlined their projects in detail, they would have more success.
elles délinéassent Si elles délinéassent leurs idées ensemble, elles seraient plus cohérentes. If they outlined their ideas together, they would be more consistent.

Other Conjugations for Délinéer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb délinéer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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