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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dériver

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The English translation of the French verb dériver is “to derive” or “to stem from.” The infinitive form is pronounced “day-ree-vay.”

Dériver comes from the Latin word “derivare,” which means “to turn or draw off.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a mood used to express doubt, desire, or hypothetical situations in the past.

Here are three simple examples of dériver in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. J’aimerais que tu dérives tes idées de tes propres réflexions. (I would like you to derive your ideas from your own reflections.)
  2. Il était important que je dérive mes arguments de sources fiables. (It was important for me to derive my arguments from reliable sources.)
  3. Elle cherchait un moyen de dériver une solution à ce problème. (She was looking for a way to derive a solution to this problem.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dérivasse Si j’avais le temps, je dérivasse pendant des heures. If I had the time, I would drift for hours.
tu dérivasses Si tu l’avais fait, tu dérivasses maintenant. If you had done it, you would be drifting now.
il dérivât Il serait plus heureux s’il dérivât sur l’eau. He would be happier if he drifted on the water.
elle dérivât Elle serait plus détendue si elle dérivât tranquillement. She would be more relaxed if she drifted slowly.
on dérivât Si on dérivât ensemble, on aurait plus de plaisir. If we drifted together, we would have more fun.
nous dérivrions Si nous dérivrions sur cette rivière, nous verrions de beaux paysages. If we drifted on this river, we would see beautiful landscapes.
vous dérivassiez Si vous dérivassiez moins vite, vous ne seriez pas malades. If you didn’t drift so fast, you wouldn’t get sick.
ils dérivassent S’ils dérivassent tranquillement, ils pourraient apercevoir des animaux sauvages. If they drifted calmly, they could spot wild animals.
elles dérivassent Si elles dérivassent ensemble, elles se sentiraient moins seules. If they drifted together, they would feel less alone.

Other Conjugations for Dériver.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dériver
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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