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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dessiner

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The English translation of the French verb dessiner is “to draw.” The infinitive form, dessiner, is pronounced “deh-seen-eh.”

The word dessiner comes from the Latin word “designare,” meaning “to mark out” or “to designate.” It entered the French language in the 12th century.

In everyday French, dessiner is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action or state in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the verb “être” (to be) or “avoir” (to have) to express a desire or emotion.

Here are three examples of the usage of dessiner in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu dessinasses un portrait de moi. (I wished that you would draw a portrait of me.)
  2. Il fallait que nous dessinassions un plan détaillé pour le projet. (We needed to draw a detailed plan for the project.)
  3. J’aurais aimé que vous dessinassiez un paysage pour moi. (I would have liked for you to draw a landscape for me.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dessinasse Si j’avais plus de temps, je dessinasse tous les jours. If I had more time, I would draw every day.
tu dessinasses Si tu étais artiste, tu dessinasses tous les jours. If you were an artist, you would draw every day.
il dessinât Il serait heureux si il dessinât mieux. He would be happy if he drew better.
elle dessinât Elle serait surprise si elle dessinât bien. She would be surprised if she drew well.
on dessinât Si on dessinât moins, on vendrait moins. If one drew less, one would sell less.
nous dessinassions Si nous dessinassions ensemble, notre projet serait meilleur. If we drew together, our project would be better.
vous dessinassiez Si vous dessinassiez plus vite, vous finiriez plus tôt. If you drew faster, you would finish earlier.
ils dessinassent S’ils dessinassent plus souvent, ils s’amélioreraient. If they drew more often, they would improve.
elles dessinassent Si elles dessinassent ensemble, ça serait créatif. If they drew together, it would be creative.

Other Conjugations for Dessiner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dessiner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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