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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb démâter

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The English translation of the French verb démâter is “to dismast.” The infinitive form is pronounced “day-mah-tay.”

The origin of démâter comes from the combination of the prefix “dé-” (which can have various meanings, but in this case it indicates a reversal or removal) and the verb “mâter” meaning “to mast” or “to put a mast on a ship.” It is most often used in the context of sailing or maritime activities, referring to the act of removing or losing the mast of a ship.

In everyday French, démâter is often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is typically used after expressions like “il est possible que” (it is possible that), “il se pourrait que” (it could be that), or “il aurait fallu que” (it would have been necessary that).

Example 1: Il est possible que le bateau se soit démâté pendant la tempête. (It is possible that the boat dismasted during the storm.)
Example 2: Il se pourrait qu’ils aient dû démâter pour éviter un naufrage. (It could be that they had to dismast to avoid a shipwreck.)
Example 3: Il aurait fallu qu’ils démâtent avant d’entrer dans le port. (It would have been necessary for them to dismast before entering the port.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je démâtasse Si j’étais plus prudent, je démâtasse moins souvent. If I were more cautious, I would capsize less often.
tu démâtasses Si tu faisais plus attention, tu démâtasses moins. If you paid more attention, you would capsize less.
il démâtât Il aurait peur qu’il démâtât en pleine mer. He would be afraid to capsize in the middle of the sea.
elle démâtât Elle serait contente si elle démâtât facilement. She would be happy if she could capsize easily.
on démâtât Si on démâtât, on devrait appeler les secours. If one capsized, one would have to call for help.
nous démâtassions Si nous démâtassions trop souvent, on devrait réparer le bateau. If we capsized too often, we would have to repair the boat.
vous démâtassiez Si vous démâtassiez moins souvent, vous auriez moins de problèmes. If you capsize less often, you would have less problems.
ils démâtassent Si ils démâtassent ensemble, ils auraient plus de chance. If they capsized together, they would have more luck.
elles démâtassent Si elles démâtassent seules, elles seraient en danger. If they capsized alone, they would be in danger.

Other Conjugations for Démâter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb démâter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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