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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb démener

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The English translation of the French verb démener is “to struggle” or “to work hard.” It is pronounced as “day-muh-nay.”

The word démener comes from the Old French word “demenier” which means “to move” or “to stir up.” It is derived from the Latin word “dēmēnāre” which means “to drive mad.”

In everyday French, the verb démener is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express actions that are hypothetical, uncertain, or dependent on something else. It is commonly used in formal or literary contexts.

Examples of démener in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je me démène pour gagner sa confiance. (I had to struggle to gain his trust.)
  2. Il était nécessaire que vous vous démèniez pour réussir cet examen. (It was necessary for you to work hard to pass this exam.)
  3. J’aurais aimé que tu te démènes davantage pour trouver une solution. (I wish you had struggled more to find a solution.)

English translations:

  1. I had to struggle to gain his trust.
  2. It was necessary for you to work hard to pass this exam.
  3. I wish you had struggled more to find a solution.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je démênasse Si j’avais plus de temps, je démênasse mieux. If I had more time, I would handle it better.
tu démênasses Si tu démênasses moins, tu serais moins fatigué. If you handled it less, you would be less tired.
il démênât Il pourrait réussir s’il démênât plus de moyens. He could succeed if he handled more means.
elle démênât Elle serait plus calme si elle démênât mieux ses émotions. She would be calmer if she handled her emotions better.
on démênât Si on démênât avec soin, on réussirait mieux. If one handled carefully, one would be more successful.
nous démênassions Si nous démênassions ensemble, ça ne serait pas si difficile. If we handled it together, it wouldn’t be so difficult.
vous démênassiez Si vous démênassiez volontairement, vous seriez plus efficace. If you handled it willingly, you would be more efficient.
ils démênassent S’ils démênassent la situation, ils trouveraient une solution. If they handled the situation, they would find a solution.
elles démênassent Si elles démênassent les problèmes, elles les résoudraient plus rapidement. If they handled the problems, they would solve them faster.

Other Conjugations for Démener.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb démener
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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