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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dépêtrer

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The English translation of the French verb dépêtrer is “to disentangle” or “to untangle”. It is pronounced as “day-peh-trer” in its infinitive form.

The word dépêtrer comes from the Old French word “despetrer” which means “to free from a trap or snare”. It is derived from the Latin words “dis-” meaning “apart” and “pedica” meaning “snare”.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, dépêtrer is most often used to express a desire or wish for the past. It is also used in hypothetical situations or to express a polite request.

Examples:

  1. Il fallait que je me dépêtre de cette situation compliquée. (I had to disentangle myself from this complicated situation.)
  2. Je souhaitais que tu te dépêtres de tes problèmes avant de partir en vacances. (I wished for you to untangle your problems before going on vacation.)
  3. Il aurait fallu qu’elle se dépêtre de ses préjugés pour comprendre la vérité. (She should have disentangled herself from her prejudices to understand the truth.)

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

Conjugation of the verb dépêtrer in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dépêtrasse Je n’aurais pas le temps de tout dépêtrasse. I wouldn’t have time to untangle everything.
tu dépêtrasses Si tu dépêtrasses, ça serait plus facile. If you untangled, it would be easier.
il dépêtrât Il serait perdu s’il dépêtrât tous les problèmes. He would be lost if he untangled all the problems.
elle dépêtrât Si elle dépêtrât le fil, elle pourrait coudre. If she untangled the thread, she could sew.
on dépêtrât Si on dépêtrât le nœud, on pourrait défaire le paquet. If one untangled the knot, one could undo the package.
nous dépêtrassions Si nous dépêtrassions ensemble, on arriverait à le faire. If we untangled together, we could manage to do it.
vous dépêtrassiez Si vous dépêtrassiez le problème, vous trouveriez une solution. If you untangled the problem, you would find a solution.
ils dépêtrassent S’ils dépêtrassent leur relation, ils pourraient se réconcilier. If they untangled their relationship, they could reconcile.
elles dépêtrassent Si elles dépêtrassent leurs disputes, elles seraient plus heureuses. If they untangled their fights, they would be happier.

Other Conjugations for Dépêtrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dépêtrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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