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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dénicher

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The English translation of dénicher is “to find” or “to unearth.” It is pronounced as “day-nee-shay” in its infinitive form.

The word dénicher comes from the Old French word “denisier,” which means “to dislodge” or “to unearth.” It is commonly used in everyday French to express the act of finding or discovering something unexpectedly or in a hidden place.

In Subjonctif Imparfait tense, dénicher is often used with the subjunctive mood to express a desire, wish, or uncertainty about the action of finding something. Here are three examples of its usage in this tense:

  1. J’espérais que tu dénichasses mes clés dans le tiroir. (I was hoping that you would find my keys in the drawer.)
  2. Il était incertain que nous dénichions un bon restaurant dans cette ville. (He was uncertain that we would find a good restaurant in this city.)
  3. Elle souhaitait que je dénichasse un emploi dans cette entreprise. (She wished for me to find a job in this company.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dénichasse Si j’avais plus de temps, je dénichasse les meilleures offres. If I had more time, I would find the best deals.
tu dénichasses Si tu partais avec moi, tu dénichasses les meilleurs restaurants. If you went with me, you would discover the best restaurants.
il dénichât Il serait heureux si il dénichât un bon endroit pour vivre. He would be happy if he found a good place to live.
elle dénichât Elle serait contente si elle dénichât un bon emploi. She would be happy if she found a good job.
on dénichât Si on dénichât de bonnes affaires, on économiserait de l’argent. If one found good deals, one would save money.
nous dénichassions Si nous dénichassions des idées originales, notre projet serait un succès. If we found original ideas, our project would be a success.
vous dénichassiez Si vous dénichassiez des choses intéressantes, vous pourriez les partager avec moi. If you found interesting things, you could share them with me.
ils dénichassent S’ils dénichassent un objet rare, ils le vendraient cher. If they found a rare object, they would sell it for a high price.
elles dénichassent Si elles dénichassent une bonne affaire, elles en profiteraient. If they found a good deal, they would take advantage of it.

Other Conjugations for Dénicher.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dénicher
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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