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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb démontrer

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The English translation of démontrer is “to demonstrate” or “to show.” The infinitive form is pronounced as day-mon-tray.

The word démontrer comes from the Latin word “demonstrare,” meaning “to point out” or “to show.” It entered the French language in the 12th century.

In everyday French, démontrer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a potential or hypothetical action in the past.

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

  1. Il fallait que je te démontrasse mon soutien. (I needed to demonstrate my support to you.)
  2. Elle avait peur que son plan ne se démontrât inefficace. (She was afraid that her plan would prove ineffective.)
  3. Nous souhaiterions que vous nous démontrassiez votre talent. (We would like you to demonstrate your talent to us.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je démontrasse Si j’avais le temps, je démontrasse mes théories. If I had time, I would demonstrate my theories.
tu démontrasses Si tu étais plus patient, tu démontrasses mieux. If you were more patient, you would demonstrate better.
il démontrât Il serait convaincu si il démontrât ses arguments. He would be convinced if he demonstrated his arguments.
elle démontrât Elle serait satisfaite si elle démontrât son talent. She would be satisfied if she demonstrated her talent.
on démontrât Si on démontrât davantage, on aurait plus de succès. If one demonstrated more, one would have more success.
nous démontrassions Si nous démontrassions nos connaissances, nous serions reconnus. If we demonstrated our knowledge, we would be recognized.
vous démontrassiez Si vous démontrassiez plus d’enthousiasme, vous convaincriez mieux. If you demonstrated more enthusiasm, you would convince better.
ils démontrassent S’ils démontrassent plus de patience, je comprendrais mieux. If they demonstrated more patience, I would understand better.
elles démontrassent Si elles démontrassent leur capacité, elles auraient plus de succès. If they demonstrated their ability, they would have more success.

Other Conjugations for Démontrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb démontrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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