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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déséchouer

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The English translation of the French verb déséchouer is “to unground” or “to unstick”. The infinitive form is pronounced “day-se-shoo-ay”.

The word déséchouer comes from the combination of the prefix “dé-” meaning “un-” or “de-” and the verb “échouer” meaning “to run aground” or “to fail”. It is most often used in every day French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Example 1: Il fallait que je déséchoue cette voiture coincée dans la boue.
Translation: I had to unground this car stuck in the mud.

Example 2: J’aurais aimé que tu déséchoues notre amitié.
Translation: I wish you could unstick our friendship.

Example 3: Il était possible que nous déséchouions le bateau à marée haute.
Translation: It was possible that we could unground the boat at high tide.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déséchouasse Je ne serais pas en retard si je déséchouasse plus vite. I wouldn’t be late if I could unground more quickly.
tu déséchouasses Si tu ne déséchouasses pas, tu seras puni. If you don’t unground, you’ll be punished.
il déséchouât J’aimerais que mes amis déséchouât pour la fête. I wish my friends could unground for the party.
elle déséchouât Si elle déséchouât, elle pourrait sortir avec nous. If she could unground, she could go out with us.
on déséchouât Si on déséchouât plus souvent, il y aurait moins de punitions. If one ungrounded more often, there would be less punishments.
nous déséchouassions Si nous déséchouassions tous les matins, nous ne serions jamais en retard. If we ungrounded every morning, we would never be late.
vous déséchouassiez J’aimerais que vous déséchouassiez avant le dîner. I wish you would unground before dinner.
ils déséchouassent Si mes frères déséchouassent, je pourrais jouer avec eux. If my brothers could unground, I could play with them.
elles déséchouassent Si elles déséchouassent, elles pourraient sortir en ville. If they could unground, they could go out in the city.

Other Conjugations for Déséchouer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déséchouer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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