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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dépatouiller

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The English translation of dépatouiller is “to untangle” or “to disentangle.” The infinitive form is pronounced “day-pah-too-yay.”

Dépatouiller comes from the French word “patouiller,” which means to mix or mess up. The prefix “dé-” adds a sense of undoing or unraveling to the word. It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples:

  1. Il aurait fallu que je dépatouillasse les fils avant de les brancher. (I should have untangled the wires before plugging them in.)
  2. Elle me demandait toujours de l’aider à se dépatouiller avec ses devoirs. (She always asked me to help her untangle her homework.)
  3. Si j’étais arrivé plus tôt, je t’aurais aidé à dépatouiller cette situation. (If I had arrived earlier, I would have helped you unravel this situation.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dépatouillasse Si j’étais plus organisé, je me dépatouillasse mieux. If I were more organized, I would handle things better.
tu dépatouillasses Si tu te dépatouillasses plus tôt, tu arriverais à l’heure. If you got ready earlier, you would arrive on time.
il dépatouillât Il serait plus efficace s’il se dépatouillât plus vite. He would be more efficient if he handled things faster.
elle dépatouillât Elle serait moins stressée si elle se dépatouillât mieux. She would be less stressed if she handled things better.
on dépatouillât Si on se dépatouillât ensemble, ça irait plus vite. If we handled things together, it would go faster.
nous dépatouillassions Si nous nous dépatouillassions avant, nous éviterions des problèmes. If we handled things before, we would avoid problems.
vous dépatouillassiez Si vous dépatouillassiez les choses plus tôt, vous ne seriez pas en retard. If you handled things earlier, you wouldn’t be late.
ils dépatouillassent S’ils se dépatouillassent mieux, ils seraient plus efficaces. If they handled things better, they would be more efficient.
elles dépatouillassent Si elles se dépatouillassent ensemble, elles arriveraient à tout faire. If they handled things together, they would be able to do everything.

Other Conjugations for Dépatouiller.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dépatouiller
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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