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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb désapprouver

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The English translation of désapprouver is “to disapprove.” It is pronounced as “day-za-proo-vay.”

The word désapprouver comes from the Old French word “desaprover,” which is a combination of the prefix “des-” meaning “away” and “aprover” meaning “to approve.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

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

  1. Je désapprouvais que tu fasses cela. (I disapproved that you were doing that.)
  2. Il désapprouvait que nous partions sans lui. (He disapproved that we were leaving without him.)
  3. Elle désapprouvait que je lui parle ainsi. (She disapproved that I was speaking to her like that.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je désapprouvasse Si j’étais là, je désapprouvasse ta décision. If I were there, I would disapprove of your decision.
tu désapprouvasses Si tu savais la vérité, tu désapprouvasses ton comportement. If you knew the truth, you would disapprove of your behavior.
il désapprouvât Il serait content si il désapprouvât cette loi. He would be happy if he disapproved of this law.
elle désapprouvât Elle serait surprise si elle désapprouvât ses choix. She would be surprised if she disapproved of her choices.
on désapprouvât Si on désapprouvât ces actions, on pourrait prendre des mesures. If one disapproved of these actions, steps could be taken.
nous désapprouvassions Si nous désapprouvassions leur attitude, nous leur en parlerions. If we disapproved of their attitude, we would talk to them about it.
vous désapprouvassiez Si vous désapprouvassiez ces méthodes, vous trouveriez une meilleure solution. If you disapproved of these methods, you would find a better solution.
ils désapprouvassent S’ils désapprouvassent ces décisions, ils se manifesteraient. If they disapproved of these decisions, they would protest.
elles désapprouvassent Si elles désapprouvassent ces opinions, elles les exprimeraient ouvertement. If they disapproved of these opinions, they would express them openly.

Other Conjugations for Désapprouver.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb désapprouver
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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