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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dépeupler

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The English translation of the French verb dépeupler is “to depopulate.” It is pronounced as “day-puh-puh-lay.”

Dépeupler comes from the Latin word “populus,” meaning “people,” with the prefix “de” meaning “away” or “down.” In everyday French, dépeupler is used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is formed by adding the subjunctive present endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient) to the imperfect stem of the verb.

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

  1. Il fallait que nous dépeuplions le village pour construire la nouvelle autoroute. (It was necessary that we depopulate the village to build the new highway.)
  2. Je préférais que tu dépeuples lentement la salle avant de commencer le cours. (I preferred that you slowly depopulate the room before starting class.)
  3. Il était important que le gouvernement dépeuplât les zones à risque pour éviter la propagation de la maladie. (It was important that the government depopulated the high-risk areas to prevent the spread of the disease.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dépeuplasse Si j’avais le pouvoir, je dépeuplasse les villes. If I had the power, I would depopulate cities.
tu dépeuplasses Si tu dépeuplasses les campagnes, où iront les animaux? If you depopulated the countryside, where would the animals go?
il dépeuplât Il serait temps qu’il dépeuplât cette région. It would be time for him to depopulate this region.
elle dépeuplât Elle pourrait proposer une solution avant qu’elle dépeuplât le village. She could propose a solution before she depopulates the village.
on dépeuplât Si on dépeuplât cette île, elle deviendrait une réserve naturelle. If one depopulated this island, it would become a nature reserve.
nous dépeuplassions Si nous dépeuplassions la terre, quelle serait la conséquence? If we depopulated the Earth, what would be the consequence?
vous dépeuplassiez Si vous dépeuplassiez moins, il y aurait moins de problèmes. If you depopulated less, there would be less problems.
ils dépeuplassent S’ils ne dépeuplassent pas le monde, qui le fera? If they didn’t depopulate the world, who would?
elles dépeuplassent Si elles dépeuplassent le pays, où iront les habitants? If they depopulated the country, where would the inhabitants go?

Other Conjugations for Dépeupler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dépeupler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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