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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dérober

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The English translation of the French verb dérober is “to steal.” It is pronounced as “day-roh-bay.”

Dérober comes from the Latin word “derobare,” which means “to take away by force.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples of dérober in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Je craignais qu’il ne dérobât mes bijoux. (I was afraid that he would steal my jewelry.)
  2. Nous pensions qu’ils déroberaient notre voiture. (We thought that they would steal our car.)
  3. Elle doutait que je ne dérobasse son argent. (She doubted that I would steal her money.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dérobasse Je serais surprise si je dérobasse de l’argent. I would be surprised if I stole money.
tu dérobasses Si tu dérobasses plus souvent, tu serais en prison. If you stole more often, you would be in prison.
il dérobât Il serait suspect si il dérobât de l’argent. It would be suspicious if he stole money.
elle dérobât Elle serait en danger si elle dérobât cette voiture. She would be in danger if she stole this car.
on dérobât Si on dérobât de la nourriture, on ne mourrait pas de faim. If one stole food, one wouldn’t die of hunger.
nous dérobassions Si nous dérobassions tous les jours, nous serions des criminels. If we stole every day, we would be criminals.
vous dérobassiez Si vous dérobassiez d’autres choses, vous auriez plus de problèmes. If you stole other things, you would have more problems.
ils dérobassent S’ils dérobassent plus discrètement, ils seraient plus efficaces. If they stole more discreetly, they would be more efficient.
elles dérobassent Si elles dérobassent ensemble, elles se feraient attraper. If they stole together, they would be caught.

Other Conjugations for Dérober.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dérober
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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