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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dérayer

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The English translation of the French verb dérayer is “to derail.” It is pronounced “day-ray-ay.”

The word dérayer comes from the Old French word “derai,” meaning “off track” or “out of order.” It is often used in everyday French to describe something or someone being knocked or thrown off track or off balance.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, dérayer is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain situation in the past. Here are three examples of its usage in this tense:

  1. Il fallait que tu dérayes le train pour nous faire arriver en retard. (You had to derail the train to make us arrive late.)
  2. J’étais tellement en colère que je souhaitais que tu le dérayes du chemin. (I was so angry that I wished you would derail him off the road.)
  3. Elle avait peur que la pluie dérayât la cérémonie en plein air. (She was afraid that the rain would derail the outdoor ceremony.)

English translations:

  1. It was necessary for you to derail the train to make us arrive late.
  2. I was so angry that I wished you would derail him off the road.
  3. She was afraid that the rain would derail the outdoor ceremony.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dérayasse Je voudrais que je dérayasse cette situation. I wish I could solve this situation.
tu dérayasses Si tu avais le temps, tu dérayasses cette crise. If you had the time, you would solve this crisis.
il dérayât Il serait heureux si il dérayât cette erreur. He would be happy if he solved this mistake.
elle dérayât Elle serait fière si elle dérayât cette complication. She would be proud if she solved this complication.
on dérayât Si on dérayât ensemble, on serait plus efficace. If we solved this together, we would be more efficient.
nous dérayassions Si nous dérayassions ce problème, nous serions soulagés. If we solved this problem, we would be relieved.
vous dérayassiez Si vous dérayassiez cette affaire, vous seriez récompensés. If you solved this matter, you would be rewarded.
ils dérayassent S’ils dérayassent cette difficulté, ils seraient applaudis. If they solved this difficulty, they would be applauded.
elles dérayassent Si elles dérayassent ce désaccord, elles seraient satisfaits. If they solved this disagreement, they would be satisfied.

Other Conjugations for Dérayer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dérayer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!
   

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

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