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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb demander

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The English translation of the French verb demander is “to ask.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “de-mahn-dey.”

The word demander comes from the Old French verb demander, which was derived from the Latin verb demandare, meaning “to entrust or commit to someone.” In modern French, it is one of the most commonly used verbs and has a variety of meanings depending on the context.

In everyday French, the Subjonctif Imparfait (imperfect subjunctive) tense of demander is most often used to express a wish, desire, or doubt. It is also used to make a polite request or to express a hypothetical situation.

Here are three examples of demander in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. J’espérais que tu me demandasses pardon. (I hoped that you would ask for forgiveness.)
  2. Il fallait que je lui demandasse de l’aide. (I had to ask him for help.)
  3. Je souhaitais que nous demandassions une augmentation de salaire. (I wished that we would ask for a raise.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je demandasse Si j’avais su, je demandasse de l’aide. If I had known, I would have asked for help.
tu demandasses Si tu me demandasses gentiment, je t’aiderais. If you asked me nicely, I would help you.
il demandât Si il demandât plus tôt, il aurait obtenu l’information. If he had asked earlier, he would have gotten the information.
elle demandât Si elle demandât poliment, elle serait reçue. If she asked politely, she would be received.
on demandât Si on demandât moins, on recevrait plus. If one asked for less, one would receive more.
nous demandassions Si nous demandassions des réponses, nous les aurions maintenant. If we asked for answers, we would have them now.
vous demandassiez Si vous demandassiez mon avis, je vous le donnerais. If you asked for my opinion, I would give it to you.
ils demandassent Si ils me demandassent gentiment, je les écouterais. If they asked me nicely, I would listen to them.
elles demandassent Si elles demandassent plus fort, elles seraient entendues. If they asked louder, they would be heard.

Other Conjugations for Demander.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb demander
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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