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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb délourder

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The English translation of the French verb délourder is “to unfasten” or “to undo.” It is pronounced “day-loo-der.”

The origin of the word délourder comes from the Old French word “deslouer,” meaning “to loosen.” It is often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of délourder in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu délourdasses ta ceinture avant de sortir. (I wished that you would unfasten your seatbelt before getting out.)

  2. Il fallait que nous délourdions les cordes pour libérer le bateau. (We had to undo the ropes to free the boat.)

  3. Je voulais que vous délourdiez les boutons de la veste. (I wanted you to unfasten the buttons of the jacket.)

English translations:

  1. I wanted/wished that you would unfasten your seatbelt before getting out.

  2. We had to undo the ropes to free the boat.

  3. I wanted you to unfasten the buttons of the jacket.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je délourdasse Si j’avais le temps, je délourdasse le jardin. If I had the time, I would weed the garden.
tu délourdat Si tu me laissais, tu délourdat le papier peint. If you let me, you would strip the wallpaper.
il délourdat Il changerait d’avis s’il délourdat cette lettre. He would change his mind if he removed this letter.
elle délourdat Elle se sentirait mieux si elle délourdat sa chambre. She would feel better if she tidied her room.
on délourdat Si on délourdat son sac, on y trouverait ses clés. If one emptied their bag, they would find their keys.
nous délourdassions Si nous nous entraînions, nous délourdassions vite. If we trained, we would improve quickly.
vous délourdatiez Si vous délourdatiez cette partie, le puzzle serait complet. If you removed this piece, the puzzle would be complete.
ils délourdassent S’ils délourdassent leurs habitudes, ils auraient plus de temps libre. If they broke their habits, they would have more free time.
elles délourdassent Si elles délourdassent leur maquillage, elles seraient plus naturelles. If they removed their makeup, they would be more natural.

Other Conjugations for Délourder.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb délourder
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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