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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dénoncer

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of dénoncer. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb dénoncer is “to denounce.” It is pronounced as “day-nohn-say.”

The word dénoncer comes from the Latin word “denunciare,” meaning “to announce, declare, or accuse.” It entered the French language in the 13th century.

In everyday French, dénoncer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action or situation in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the word “si” (if).

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

  1. Si je dénonçais mes collègues, ils perdraient leur travail.
    (If I were to denounce my colleagues, they would lose their jobs.)

  2. Il était important que tu dénonçasses les crimes commis par le gouvernement.
    (It was important that you denounce the crimes committed by the government.)

  3. Nous aurions dénoncé la fraude si nous avions eu des preuves solides.
    (We would have denounced the fraud if we had solid evidence.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dénonçasse Si j’avais su, je dénonçasse le vol. If I had known, I would denounce the theft.
tu dénonçasses Si tu savais, tu dénonçasses les injustices. If you knew, you would denounce injustices.
il dénonçât Il serait choqué si il dénonçât des crimes. He would be shocked if he denounced crimes.
elle dénonçât Elle serait surprise si elle dénonçât sa trahison. She would be surprised if she denounced her betrayal.
on dénonçât Si on dénonçât les abus, on pourrait les stopper. If one denounced abuses, one could stop them.
nous dénonçassions Si nous dénonçassions ces mensonges, nous serions plus heureux. If we denounced these lies, we would be happier.
vous dénonçassiez Si vous dénonçassiez les coupables, vous rendriez justice. If you denounced the guilty, you would bring justice.
ils dénonçassent S’ils dénonçassent les problèmes, ils trouveraient des solutions. If they denounced the problems, they would find solutions.
elles dénonçassent Si elles dénonçassent les abus, elles se protégeraient. If they denounced the abuses, they would protect themselves.

Other Conjugations for Dénoncer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dénoncer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the dénoncer Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts