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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb désalper

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The English translation of the French verb désalper is “to unhook” or “to unhitch.” It is pronounced “day-zal-pay.”

The word désalper is derived from the Latin word “saliare” which means “to jump,” and the prefix “de” which means “undoing.” In everyday French, désalper is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a desire or a possibility that was not fulfilled in the past.

Three simple examples of using désalper in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. J’aurais voulu que tu désalpes la remorque avant de partir. (I would have liked you to unhitch the trailer before leaving.)
  2. Il fallait que nous désalpions le bateau avant la tempête. (We had to unhook the boat before the storm.)
  3. Je souhaitais que vous désalpiez les chevaux pour les laisser se reposer. (I wished you would unhitch the horses to let them rest.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je désalpasse Si je déménageais en montagne, je désalpasse souvent. If I moved to the mountains, I would often go down.
tu désalpasses Si tu venais avec moi, tu désalpasses aussi. If you came with me, you would also go down.
il désalpât Il serait content si il désalpât tous les jours. He would be happy if he went down every day.
elle désalpât Elle serait surprise si elle désalpât bien. She would be surprised if she went down well.
on désalpât Si on désalpât en famille, ça serait plus amusant. If one went down with family, it would be more fun.
nous désalpassions Si nous désalpassions ensemble, ça serait plus rapide. If we went down together, it would be faster.
vous désalpassiez Si vous désalpassiez en groupe, vous auriez plus de fun. If you went down in a group, you would have more fun.
ils désalpassent S’ils désalpassent trop vite, ils risquent de tomber. If they go down too fast, they might fall.
elles désalpassent Si elles désalpassent plus souvent, elles seraient plus en forme. If they go down more often, they would be more fit.

Other Conjugations for Désalper.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb désalper
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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