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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb détailler

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The English translation of détailler is “to detail” or “to break down.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “day-tay-yay.”

Détailler comes from the Old French word “detaillier,” which comes from the Latin word “detaliare,” meaning “to cut in pieces.” It is most often used in everyday French to mean “to explain in detail” or “to provide a detailed account.”

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, détailler is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is commonly used with the conjunction “que” to introduce a subordinate clause following a main verb in the past tense.

Here are three simple examples of détailler in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Je voulais que tu me détailles ton plan. (I wanted you to detail your plan to me.)
  2. Il fallait que nous détaillions les différentes étapes du projet. (We had to detail the different steps of the project.)
  3. Elle préférait que je lui détaille mes projets avant de les mettre en œuvre. (She preferred that I detail my plans to her before implementing them.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je détaillasse Si j’avais le temps, je détaillasse chaque élément. If I had the time, I would detail each item.
tu détaillasses Si tu me demandais, je détaillasses encore plus. If you asked me, I would detail even more.
il détaillât Il serait surpris si il détaillât chaque partie. He would be surprised if he detailed each part.
elle détaillât Elle serait contente si elle détaillât mieux. She would be happy if she detailed better.
on détaillât Si on détaillât plus en profondeur, on comprendrait mieux. If one detailed more in depth, one would understand better.
nous détaillassions Si nous détaillassions ensemble, nous serions plus efficaces. If we detailed together, we would be more effective.
vous détaillassiez Si vous me montriez comment, je détaillassiez mieux. If you showed me how, I would detail better.
ils détaillassent S’ils détaillassent chaque détail, ils seraient plus précis. If they detailed every detail, they would be more precise.
elles détaillassent Si elles détaillassent leur plan, ça serait plus clair. If they detailed their plan, it would be clearer.

Other Conjugations for Détailler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détailler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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