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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déterrer

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of déterrer. 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 déterrer is “to dig up” or “to unearth.” The infinitive form of déterrer is pronounced “day-tehr-ray.”

Déterrer comes from the Latin word “terra,” which means earth or land. It is most often used in everyday French to describe the action of digging or uncovering something from the ground. In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, déterrer is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples:

  1. Il fallait que j’aille déterrer les vieilles photos dans le grenier. (I had to go dig up the old photos in the attic.)

  2. Nous cherchions un trésor dans le jardin et nous espérions que nous déterrions quelque chose d’incroyable. (We were searching for a treasure in the garden and we hoped that we would unearth something amazing.)

  3. Il était possible que les archéologues déterrassent des artefacts datant de l’Antiquité. (It was possible that the archaeologists were digging up artifacts dating back to Antiquity.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déterrât Je douterait si je déterrât mes anciennes affaires. I would hesitate if I dug up my old things.
tu déterrasses Si tu déterrasses plus, tu trouverais plus. If you dug up more, you would find more.
il déterrât Il serait triste si il déterrât ses souvenirs. He would be sad if he dug up his memories.
elle déterrât Elle serait inquiète si elle déterrât quelque chose. She would be worried if she dug something up.
on déterrât Si on déterrât ces trésors, on serait riche. If one dug up these treasures, one would be rich.
nous déterrassions Si nous déterrassions ensemble, ça irait plus vite. If we dug up together, it would go faster.
vous déterrassiez Si vous déterrassiez cette information, je serais reconnaissant. If you dug up this information, I would be grateful.
ils déterrassent S’ils déterrassent ces secrets, ils auraient des ennuis. If they dug up these secrets, they would be in trouble.
elles déterrassent Si elles déterrassent ces artefacts, elles pourraient les vendre. If they dug up these artifacts, they could sell them.

Other Conjugations for Déterrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déterrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    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 déterrer Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts