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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déparaffiner

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The English translation of the French verb déparaffiner is “to de-wax.” The pronunciation of the infinitive form déparaffiner is “day-pah-ra-fee-nay.”

Déparaffiner comes from the combination of the prefix “dé-” meaning “de-” or “un-,” and the noun “paraffine” which refers to wax. It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three simple examples of déparaffiner used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je déparaffinasse la voiture avant de la laver. (I had to de-wax the car before washing it.)
  2. Nous voulions que vous déparaffinassiez le sol avant d’y poser le nouveau tapis. (We wanted you to de-wax the floor before laying the new carpet.)
  3. Il était possible que la pluie déparaffinât les skis avant la course. (It was possible that the rain would de-wax the skis before the race.)

In each of these examples, déparaffiner is used in the Subjonctif Imparfait to express a past action that is uncertain or hypothetical. It is often used in combination with verbs such as “vouloir” (to want) or “pouvoir” (to be able to) to convey a desired or possible action in the past.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déparaffinasse Si j’étais chimiste, je déparaffinasse l’huile. If I were a chemist, I would refine the oil.
tu déparaffinasses Si tu utilisais un filtre, tu déparaffinasses mieux. If you used a filter, you would refine better.
il déparaffinât Il serait plus efficace s’il déparaffinât plus vite. It would be more efficient if it refined more quickly.
elle déparaffinât Elle serait plus satisfaite si elle déparaffinât bien. She would be more satisfied if she refined well.
on déparaffinât Si on déparaffinât plus souvent, on aurait moins de problèmes. If one refined more often, there would be less problems.
nous déparaffinassions Si nous déparaffinassions ensemble, ça irait plus vite. If we refined together, it would go faster.
vous déparaffinassiez Si vous m’aidiez, vous déparaffinassiez plus efficacement. If you helped me, you would refine more efficiently.
ils déparaffinassent S’ils déparaffinassent plus soigneusement, ils auraient de meilleurs résultats. If they refined more carefully, they would have better results.
elles déparaffinassent Si elles déparaffinassent ensemble, ça serait plus efficace. If they refined together, it would be more efficient.

Other Conjugations for Déparaffiner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déparaffiner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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