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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dépiler

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The English translation of the French verb dépiler is “to remove hair” or “to remove a covering.” It is pronounced as “day-pee-lay.”

Dépiler comes from the Latin word “depilare,” meaning “to pluck out hair.” It is most often used in everyday French to refer to removing hair from the body, such as through shaving, waxing, or using a depilatory product.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, dépiler is used to express a desire or a hypothetical situation in the past. Here are three examples of its usage in this tense, with the respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je dépilasse mes jambes avant de partir à la plage. (I needed to remove the hair on my legs before going to the beach.)
  2. Je souhaitais que tu dépilasses ton dos avant la soirée. (I wished for you to remove the hair on your back before the party.)
  3. Elle aurait préféré que je dépilasse mes bras avant de mettre une robe sans manches. (She would have preferred for me to remove the hair on my arms before wearing a sleeveless dress.)

In all of these examples, dépiler is used to express a desire or preference for removing hair in the past.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dépilasse Je voudrais que je dépilasse mes jambes plus souvent. I wish I could shave my legs more often.
tu dépilasses Si tu trouvais le temps, tu déplilasses le jardin? If you had the time, would you weed the garden?
il dépilât Il serait plus propre si il déplilât la salle de bain. It would be cleaner if he shaved the bathroom.
elle dépilât Elle verrait mieux si elle déplilât ses sourcils. She would see better if she plucked her eyebrows.
on dépilât Si on dépilât plus souvent, on aurait moins de poils. If one shaved more often, one would have less hair.
nous dépilassions Si nous dépilassions le salon, il serait plus accueillant. If we shaved the living room, it would be more welcoming.
vous déplilassiez Si vous déplilassiez vos jambes, vous pourriez mettre une jupe. If you shaved your legs, you could wear a skirt.
ils dépilassent S’ils dépilassent leurs figures, ils auraient l’air plus jeune. If they shaved their faces, they would look younger.
elles dépilassent Si elles dépilassent leurs aisselles, elles ne transpireraient pas beaucoup. If they shaved their armpits, they wouldn’t sweat as much.

Other Conjugations for Dépiler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dépiler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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