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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dérouler

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The English translation of the French verb dérouler is “to unroll” or “to unfold.” The infinitive form of dérouler is pronounced as “deh-roo-lay.”

Dérouler comes from the Old French word “dérolier,” which comes from the Latin word “dēvolvĕre” meaning “to unroll.” It is most commonly used in everyday French to describe the action of unrolling or unfolding something, such as a carpet or a map.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, dérouler is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, along with their English translations:

  1. J’aurais aimé que tu déroules le tapis avant que les invités arrivent. (I wish you had unrolled the carpet before the guests arrived.)

  2. Si tu me racontais ce qui s’est passé, je pourrais peut-être me dérouler la scène dans ma tête. (If you told me what happened, I might be able to unfold the scene in my mind.)

  3. Il fallait que je me déroule la carte pour trouver notre itinéraire. (I had to unroll the map to find our route.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déroulasse Si j’étais à ta place, je déroulasse soigneusement le tapis. If I were in your place, I would carefully unroll the carpet.
tu déroulasses Si tu m’aidais, tu déroulasses le rouleau plus rapidement. If you helped me, you would unroll the roll faster.
il déroulât Il serait heureux si il déroulât le film sans problème. He would be happy if he unrolled the film without any problems.
elle déroulât Elle serait satisfaite si elle déroulât la pâte uniformément. She would be satisfied if she rolled out the dough evenly.
on déroulât Si on déroulât le tapis correctement, on éviterait les plis. If one unrolled the carpet correctly, we would avoid wrinkles.
nous déroulassions Si nous déroulassions le câble en douceur, il ne se casserait pas. If we unrolled the cable gently, it wouldn’t break.
vous déroulassiez Si vous déroulassiez le parchemin avec précaution, il ne se déchirerait pas. If you unrolled the parchment carefully, it wouldn’t tear.
ils déroulassent S’ils déroulassent le papier peint, ils verraient le motif. If they unrolled the wallpaper, they would see the pattern.
elles déroulassent Si elles déroulassent le fil sans hâte, elles éviteraient les noeuds. If they unrolled the thread without haste, they would avoid knots.

Other Conjugations for Dérouler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dérouler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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