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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dessiller

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of dessiller. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb dessiller is “to remove the scales from one’s eyes” or “to see clearly”. It is pronounced as “deh-see-yay” in the infinitive form.

The word dessiller comes from the Old French word “desillier” which means “to remove the scales from one’s eyes”. It is derived from the Latin word “desiccare” which means “to dry up”. In everyday French, dessiller is most commonly used in its Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a mood used to express a hypothetical or uncertain situation in the past.

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

  1. Il faut que je dessille mes yeux pour comprendre la vérité. (I had to remove the scales from my eyes to understand the truth.)
  2. Nous souhaitions que vous dessilliez enfin vos yeux sur cette affaire. (We hoped that you would finally see clearly about this matter.)
  3. Ils étaient heureux que leur ami dessillât enfin les yeux sur sa relation toxique. (They were happy that their friend finally saw clearly about his toxic relationship.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dessillasse J’aurais vu si je dessillasse mes yeux. I would have seen if I had opened my eyes.
tu dessillasses Tu comprendrais si tu dessillasses ton esprit. You would understand if you opened your mind.
il dessillât Il serait plus heureux si il dessillât sa perception. He would be happier if he opened his perception.
elle dessillât Elle aurait changé d’avis si elle dessillât ses yeux. She would have changed her mind if she opened her eyes.
on dessillât Si on dessillât plus souvent, on verrait mieux. If one opened their eyes more often, one would see better.
nous dessillassions Si nous dessillassions nos coeurs, nous aurions plus de compassion. If we opened our hearts, we would have more compassion.
vous dessillassiez Si vous dessillassiez votre esprit, vous seriez plus lucide. If you opened your mind, you would be more clear-headed.
ils dessillassent S’ils dessillassent leurs yeux, ils réaliseraient la vérité. If they opened their eyes, they would realize the truth.
elles dessillassent Si elles dessillassent leur perception, elles auraient un autre avis. If they opened their perception, they would have a different opinion.

Other Conjugations for Dessiller.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dessiller
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the dessiller Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts