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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dépénaliser

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The English translation of the French verb dépénaliser is “to decriminalize.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “day-peh-nal-ee-zay.”

The language origin of dépénaliser comes from the French word “pénaliser,” meaning “to penalize,” and the prefix “dé-,” which means “to undo” or “remove.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action that is ongoing or repeated in the past.

Example 1: Il fallait que nous dépénalisions la consommation de cannabis. (It was necessary for us to decriminalize the consumption of cannabis.)

Example 2: Nous espérions que le gouvernement dépénalise le vol de nourriture pour les personnes affamées. (We hoped that the government would decriminalize stealing food for hungry people.)

Example 3: Il était possible que le juge dépénalise l’usage de la force dans cette situation. (It was possible for the judge to decriminalize the use of force in this situation.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dépénalisasse Si j’avais le pouvoir, je dépénalisasse toutes les drogues. If I had the power, I would decriminalize all drugs.
tu dépénalisasses Si tu avais les moyens, tu dépénalisasses le stationnement. If you had the means, you would decriminalize parking.
il dépénalisât Il serait plus sûr si il dépénalisât les infractions mineures. It would be safer if he decriminalized minor offenses.
elle dépénalisât Elle serait plus juste si elle dépénalisât les délits économiques. She would be fairer if she decriminalized economic crimes.
on dépénalisât Si on dépénalisât la consommation d’alcool au volant, on sauverait des vies. If one decriminalized drinking and driving, lives would be saved.
nous dépénalisassions Si nous dépénalisassions la vente de marijuana, nous réduirions la criminalité. If we decriminalized the sale of marijuana, we would reduce crime.
vous dépénalisassiez Si vous dépénalisassiez la grève, les travailleurs seraient moins stressés. If you decriminalized strikes, workers would be less stressed.
ils dépénalisassent S’ils dépénalisassent l’usage des armes à feu, il y aurait moins de violence. If they decriminalized the use of firearms, there would be less violence.
elles dépénalisassent Si elles dépénalisassent l’avortement, les femmes auraient plus de choix. If they decriminalized abortion, women would have more choices.

Other Conjugations for Dépénaliser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dépénaliser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Dépénaliser – 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.

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