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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb désabuser

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The English translation of désabuser is “to disillusion” or “to disabuse.” It is pronounced “day-za-byoo-zay.”

The verb désabuser is derived from the French prefix dés- (meaning “dis” or “un-“) and the verb abuser (meaning “to deceive” or “to abuse”). It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is often used in polite requests or to express doubt, emotion, or opinion.

Here are three simple examples of désabuser in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je me désabuse de mes idées romantiques. (I needed to disabuse myself of my romantic ideas.)

  2. Je souhaitais que tu te désabuses de cette illusion. (I wished for you to disabuse yourself of this illusion.)

  3. Il était temps que nous nous désabusions de cette croyance naïve. (It was time for us to disabuse ourselves of this naive belief.)

English translations:

  1. It was necessary for me to disabuse myself of my romantic ideas.

  2. I wished for you to disabuse yourself of this illusion.

  3. It was time for us to disabuse ourselves of this naive belief.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je désabusasse Si j’étais jeune, je désabusasse de tes mensonges. If I were young, I would not be disillusioned by your lies.
tu désabusasses Si tu avais plus de temps, tu désabusasses des idées fausses. If you had more time, you would not be disabused by false ideas.
il désabusât Il serait triste si il désabusat de ses croyances. He would be sad if he became disillusioned with his beliefs.
elle désabusât Elle serait déçue si elle désabusat des rumeurs. She would be disappointed if she saw through the rumors.
on désabusât Si on désabusat de cette théorie, on serait choqué. If one became disillusioned with this theory, one would be shocked.
nous désabusassions Si nous désabusassions de la politique, nous serions déçus. If we became disillusioned with politics, we would be disappointed.
vous désabusassiez Si vous désabusassiez de ces promesses, vous seriez plus réalistes. If you became disillusioned with these promises, you would be more realistic.
ils désabusassent S’ils désabusassent de leur naïveté, ils seraient moins déçus. If they became disillusi

Other Conjugations for Désabuser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb désabuser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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