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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb détourner

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The English translation of the French verb détourner is “to divert” or “to turn away”. It is pronounced as “day-toor-nay”.

The word détourner comes from the Old French word destourner, which is derived from the Latin word devertere, meaning “to turn aside” or “to avoid”. It is most commonly used in everyday French to describe the act of diverting or turning away from something, either physically or mentally.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, détourner is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. This tense is formed by using the present subjunctive form of the verb être followed by the past participle of détourner (détourné).

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

  1. “Il fallait que je détourne le regard pour ne pas pleurer.” (I had to look away so I wouldn’t cry.)

  2. “Je souhaitais que tu détournes l’attention pendant que je préparais la surprise.” (I wished for you to divert attention while I prepared the surprise.)

  3. “Il était important que nous détournerions le sujet de la discussion avant qu’il ne devienne trop tendu.” (It was important for us to change the subject of the discussion before it became too tense.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je détournasse J’aurais peur si je détournasse les yeux. I would be scared if I looked away.
tu détournasses Tu serais triste si tu détournasses le regard. You would be sad if you looked away.
il détournât Si il détournât son attention, il raterait l’opportunité. If he turned his attention away, he would miss the opportunity.
elle détournât Si elle détournât les yeux, elle ne verrait pas le danger. If she looked away, she wouldn’t see the danger.
on détournât Si on détournât l’argent, on serait accusé de vol. If one diverted the money, one would be accused of theft.
nous détournassions Si nous détournassions notre chemin, nous ne trouverions jamais la bonne route. If we strayed from our path, we would never find the right road.
vous détournassiez Si vous détournassiez les yeux, vous ne verriez pas la vérité. If you looked away, you wouldn’t see the truth.
ils détournassent Si ils ne détournassent pas l’attention, ils découvriraient la tromperie. If they didn’t divert their attention, they would uncover the deception.
elles détournassent Si elles détournassent les regards, elles éviteraient le conflit. If they looked away, they would avoid the conflict.

Other Conjugations for Détourner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détourner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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