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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb détonner

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The English translation of the French verb détonner is “to stand out” or “to be out of place”. The infinitive form is pronounced as “day-ton-ay”.

The word détonner comes from the French word “tonner”, which means “to thunder”. It is derived from the Latin word “tonare”, which also means “to thunder”. In its most common usage, détonner means something or someone that does not fit in with their surroundings or is unexpected.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, détonner is often used in expressions of doubt or possibility, to express a hypothetical situation in the past. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, with the respective English translations:

  1. Il était étrange que Jeanne détonnât dans cette famille si parfaite. (It was strange that Jeanne stood out in this perfect family.)
  2. Je n’aurais jamais pensé que ce tableau détonnât dans cette galerie d’art moderne. (I would have never thought that this painting would stand out in this modern art gallery.)
  3. Il était peu probable que ce politicien détonnât dans ce milieu de travailleurs sociaux. (It was unlikely that this politician would be out of place in this environment of social workers.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je détonnasse Je choisirais une couleur qui ne détonnasse pas. I would choose a color that doesn’t clash.
tu détonnasses Si tu étais plus calme, tu détonnasses moins. If you were calmer, you wouldn’t clash as much.
il détonnât Il serait plus élégant si il détonnât moins. It would be more elegant if he didn’t clash as much.
elle détonnât Elle serait moins audacieuse si elle détonnât moins. She would be less daring if she didn’t clash as much.
on détonnât Si on détonnât moins, on serait mieux intégré. If one didn’t clash as much, one would be better integrated.
nous détonnassions Si nous détonnassions plus, nous serions plus créatifs. If we clashed more, we would be more creative.
vous détonnassiez Si vous détonnassiez mieux, vous auriez plus de succès. If you didn’t clash as much, you would have more success.
ils détonnassent S’ils détonnassent moins, ils passeraient mieux inaperçus. If they didn’t clash as much, they would blend in better.
elles détonnassent Si elles détonnassent ensemble, ça serait étonnant. If they clashed together, it would be surprising.

Other Conjugations for Détonner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détonner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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