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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb désiler

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The English translation of désiler is “to unravel” or “to unwind.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “day-zee-lay.”

Désiler originates from the Old French word “deslier,” which means “to untie” or “to undo.” It is 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 how désiler is used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je désilasse la pelote de laine pour continuer à tricoter. (I had to unravel the ball of yarn to continue knitting.)
  2. Elle a suggéré que nous désilions la situation pour trouver une solution. (She suggested that we unravel the situation to find a solution.)
  3. Il était temps que tu désilasses tes pensées et que tu te concentres sur tes devoirs. (It was time for you to unravel your thoughts and focus on your homework.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je désilasse Je suis content si je désilasse mieux. I would be happy if I untangled better.
tu désilasses Si tu désilasses le fil, ça serait plus facile. If you untangled the thread, it would be easier.
il désilât Il serait ravi si il désilât les noeuds. He would be delighted if he untangled the knots.
elle désilât Elle serait très patiente si elle désilât les cheveux. She would be very patient if she untangled her hair.
on désilât Si on désilât le fil ensemble, ça irait plus vite. If one untangled the thread together, it would go faster.
nous désilassions Si nous désilassions les cordes, ça serait moins dangereux. If we untangled the ropes, it would be less dangerous.
vous désilassiez Si vous désilassiez plus souvent, vous auriez un meilleur résultat. If you untangled more often, you would have a better result.
ils désilassent S’ils désilassent en même temps, il y aurait moins de confusion. If they untangled at the same time, there would be less confusion.
elles désilassent Si elles désilassent ensemble, elles auraient plus de succès. If they untangled together, they would have more success.

Other Conjugations for Désiler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb désiler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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