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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dialoguer

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The English translation of the French verb dialoguer is “to dialogue”. It is pronounced dee-ah-loh-ger.

The word dialoguer comes from the French word dialogue, which ultimately derives from the Greek word dialogos, meaning “conversation” or “discourse”. It first appeared in the French language in the 16th century.

In everyday French, the verb dialoguer is often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action or situation in the past. It can also convey a sense of politeness or formality in the language.

Here are 3 simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que nous dialoguions pour trouver une solution. (We needed to dialogue to find a solution.)
  2. Je souhaitais que tu dialogues avec moi avant de prendre une décision. (I wanted you to dialogue with me before making a decision.)
  3. Il était important que vous dialoguiez avec vos collègues avant de donner votre opinion. (It was important for you to dialogue with your colleagues before giving your opinion.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dialoguasse Si j’étais plus ouvert, je dialoguasse avec tout le monde. If I were more open, I would talk with everyone.
tu dialoguasses Si tu étais plus patient, tu dialoguasses mieux. If you were more patient, you would communicate better.
il dialoguât Il serait content si il dialoguât plus souvent. He would be happy if he talked more often.
elle dialoguât Elle serait plus à l’aise si elle dialoguât plus. She would be more comfortable if she talked more.
on dialoguât Si on dialoguât ensemble, on comprendrait mieux. If we talked together, we would understand better.
nous dialoguassions Si nous dialoguassions plus, nous serions plus proches. If we talked more, we would be closer.
vous dialoguassiez Si vous dialoguassiez moins, vous auriez plus de temps pour vous. If you talked less, you would have more time for yourself.
ils dialoguassent S’ils dialoguassent calmement, ils trouveraient une solution. If they talked calmly, they would find a solution.
elles dialoguassent Si elles dialoguassent honnêtement, elles se comprendraient mieux. If they talked honestly, they would understand each other better.

Other Conjugations for Dialoguer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dialoguer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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