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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb déventer

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The English translation of the French verb déventer is “to empty or to clear out.” It is pronounced as “day-van-tay.”

The word déventer comes from the Old French term “desventer,” which is derived from the Latin word “disventare,” meaning “to open or remove the contents of something.” In everyday French, it is used mainly in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three simple examples of déventer used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Si j’étais riche, je déventerais tous mes comptes bancaires. (If I were rich, I would empty all my bank accounts.)
  2. Il est possible qu’il déventât ses étagères avant de déménager. (It is possible that he cleared out his shelves before moving.)
  3. Nous aimerions que vous déventiez votre grenier pour y installer notre chambre d’amis. (We would like you to empty out your attic to set up our guest bedroom there.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déventasse Si je déventasse le jardin, les fleurs pousseraient mieux. If I aired out the garden, the flowers would grow better.
tu déventasses Si tu déventasses la maison, il y aurait moins de poussière. If you aired out the house, there would be less dust.
il déventât Il serait content si il déventât tous les matins. He would be happy if he aired out every morning.
elle déventât Elle serait surprise si elle déventât les vêtements avant de les mettre. She would be surprised if she aired out her clothes before putting them on.
on déventât Si on déventât chaque pièce, l’air serait plus frais. If one aired out each room, the air would be fresher.
nous déventassions Si nous déventassions la maison ensemble, ça irait plus vite. If we aired out the house together, it would go faster.
vous déventassiez Si vous déventassiez les tapis, ils seraient plus propres. If you aired out the carpets, they would be cleaner.
ils déventassent S’ils déventassent toutes les pièces, la maison sentirait meilleur. If they aired out all the rooms, the house would smell better.
elles déventassent Si elles déventassent leurs chambres, elles pourraient dormir plus confortablement. If they aired out their rooms, they could sleep more comfortably.

Other Conjugations for Déventer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb déventer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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