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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb détartrer

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The English translation of the French verb détartrer is “to descale” or “to remove limescale.” The infinitive form is pronounced day-tar-treh.

The word détartrer comes from the French word “tartrate,” meaning tartar or limescale, and the prefix “dé-“, which indicates the action of removing or undoing. It is most often used in everyday French to describe the process of removing limescale from household appliances or plumbing fixtures, such as kettles, coffee makers, or shower heads.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past, détartrer is conjugated as follows:

  • Je détartrasse (I would descale)
  • Tu détartrasses (You would descale)
  • Il/elle détartrât (He/she would descale)
  • Nous détartrassions (We would descale)
  • Vous détartrassiez (You would descale)
  • Ils/elles détartrassent (They would descale)

Examples:

  1. Il fallait que je détartrasse la bouilloire avant de faire du thé. (I needed to descale the kettle before making tea.)
  2. Elle préférait que nous détartrassions le pommeau de douche avec du vinaigre. (She preferred that we descale the shower head with vinegar.)
  3. J’aimerais que vous détartrassiez la cafetière pour qu’elle fonctionne mieux. (I would like you to descale the coffee maker so that it works better.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je détartrasse Si je travaillais plus, je détartrasse régulièrement. If I worked more, I would regularly descale.
tu détartrasses Si tu me demandais, tu détartrasses ta bouilloire. If you asked me, you would descale your kettle.
il détartrât Il serait satisfait si il détartrât la cafetière. He would be satisfied if he descaled the coffee maker.
elle détartrât Elle serait contente si elle détartrât souvent. She would be happy if she descaled often.
on détartrât Si on détartrât en avance, on aurait moins de problèmes. If one descaled in advance, one would have fewer problems.
nous détartrassions Si nous détartrassions ensemble, ça irait plus vite. If we descaled together, it would go faster.
vous détartrassiez Si vous détartrassiez plus souvent, vous économiseriez de l’argent. If you descaled more often, you would save money.
ils détartrassent S’ils détartrassent tous les mois, ils auraient une meilleure santé dentaire. If they descaled every month, they would have better dental health.
elles détartrassent Si elles détartrassent leur baignoire, elles pourraient se relaxer. If they descaled their bathtub, they could relax.

Other Conjugations for Détartrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détartrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Détartrer – 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.

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