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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb désobstruer

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The English translation of the French verb désobstruer is “to unblock” or “to unclog.” It is pronounced “day-zohb-struh-ay.”

Désobstruer comes from the French prefix “dés-” meaning “un-” and the verb “obstruer” meaning “to block” or “to obstruct.” It is most often used in everyday French to describe the action of removing something that is blocking or clogging a passage or pathway.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, désobstruer is used to express a wish, possibility, or doubt in the past. Here are three examples of its usage in this tense:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu désobstruasses la canalisation. (I wished that you would unblock the pipes.)
  2. Il était possible que nous désobstruassions la route avec une pelle. (It was possible that we could unclog the road with a shovel.)
  3. Je doutais qu’ils désobstruassent le passage à temps. (I doubted that they would unblock the passage in time.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je désobstruasse Si je désobstruasse le tuyau, l’eau coulerait mieux. If I cleared the pipe, the water would flow better.
tu désobstruasses Si tu désobstruasses cette route, on irait plus vite. If you cleared this road, we would go faster.
il désobstruât Il serait content si il désobstruât le passage. He would be happy if he cleared the passage.
elle désobstruât Elle serait surprise si elle désobstruât l’entrée. She would be surprised if she cleared the entrance.
on désobstruât Si on désobstruât le chemin, on n’aurait pas de problèmes. If one cleared the path, we wouldn’t have any problems.
nous désobstruassions Si nous désobstruassions la circulation, ce serait moins stressant. If we cleared the traffic, it would be less stressful.
vous désobstruassiez Si vous désobstruassiez les canalisations, il n’y aurait pas de fuites. If you cleared the pipes, there would be no leaks.
ils désobstruassent S’ils désobstruassent les voies respiratoires, ils pourraient mieux respirer. If they cleared their airways, they could breathe better.
elles désobstruassent Si elles désobstruassent le passage, elles pourraient accéder à la grotte. If they cleared the passage, they could access the cave.

Other Conjugations for Désobstruer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb désobstruer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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