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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dénombrer

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The English translation of the French verb dénombrer is “to count” or “to enumerate.” It is pronounced as “day-nom-bray.”

The word dénombrer comes from the Old French word “denomer,” which means “to count.” It is derived from the Latin word “denumerare,” which combines “de” (meaning “from”) and “numerare” (meaning “to count”). In everyday French, dénombrer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are 3 simple examples of dénombrer used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Si je savais compter, je dénombrerais les étoiles dans le ciel. (If I knew how to count, I would count the stars in the sky.)
  2. Il fallait que tu dénombras les invités avant de dresser la table. (You had to count the guests before setting the table.)
  3. Nous aurions dénombré les erreurs si nous avions eu plus de temps. (We would have counted the mistakes if we had more time.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dénombrasse Si j’étais mathématicien, je dénombrasse les étoiles. If I were a mathematician, I would count the stars.
tu dénombrasses Si tu avais le temps, tu dénombrasses toutes les pierres. If you had the time, you would count all the stones.
il dénombrât Il serait heureux si il dénombrât toutes ses victoires. He would be happy if he counted all his victories.
elle dénombrât Elle serait fière si elle dénombrât tous ses livres. She would be proud if she counted all her books.
on dénombrât Si on dénombrât les oiseaux, on en trouverait des milliers. If one counted the birds, one would find thousands.
nous dénombrassions Si nous dénombrassions toutes les fleurs, nous serions fatigués. If we counted all the flowers, we would be tired.
vous dénombrassiez Si vous dénombrassiez les invités, vous sauriez combien il y en a. If you counted the guests, you would know how many there are.
ils dénombrassent S’ils dénombrassent les étoiles, ils verraient leur beauté. If they counted the stars, they would see their beauty.
elles dénombrassent Si elles dénombrassent les bonbons, elles sauraient combien il en reste. If they counted the candies, they would know how many are left.

Other Conjugations for Dénombrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dénombrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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