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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb diaphragmer

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The English translation of the French verb diaphragmer is “to diaphragm.” It is pronounced “dee-ah-fram-ay” in its infinitive form.

The word diaphragmer comes from the Latin word diaphragma, which means “a partition” or “a dividing wall.” In French, it is most often used as a medical term to refer to the action of contracting and relaxing the diaphragm muscle in the chest to control breathing. However, it can also be used in a figurative sense to mean “to block” or “to obstruct.”

In everyday French, diaphragmer is commonly used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a past action that was uncertain or hypothetical. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je diaphragme mes émotions avant de parler. (I had to control my emotions before speaking.)
  2. Nous voulions qu’il diaphragme sa colère et reste calme. (We wanted him to control his anger and stay calm.)
  3. J’aurais préféré que tu diaphragmes ta jalousie plutôt que de te disputer avec elle. (I would have preferred for you to control your jealousy instead of arguing with her.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je diaphragmasse Je serais épuisé si je diaphragmasse trop. I would be exhausted if I diaphragm too much.
tu diaphragmasses Si tu diaphragmasses bien, tu auras une belle voix. If you diaphragm well, you will have a beautiful voice.
il diaphragmât Il serait plus facile si il diaphragmât automatiquement. It would be easier if he diaphragmed automatically.
elle diaphragmât Elle serait plus détendue si elle diaphragmât naturellement. She would be more relaxed if she diaphragmed naturally.
on diaphragmât Si on diaphragmât correctement, on pourrait chanter pendant des heures. If one diaphragmed correctly, one could sing for hours.
nous diaphragmassions Si nous diaphragmassions ensemble, notre voix serait plus forte. If we diaphragmed together, our voice would be stronger.
vous diaphragmassiez Si vous diaphragmassiez plus souvent, vous seriez moins essoufflé. If you diaphragmed more often, you would be less out of breath.
ils diaphragmassent S’ils diaphragmassent avec leurs ventres, ça pourrait améliorer leur chant. If they diaphragmed with their stomachs, it could improve their singing.
elles diaphragmassent Si elles diaphragmassent en rythme, ça pourrait être intéressant à écouter. If they diaphragmed in rhythm, it could be interesting to listen to.

Other Conjugations for Diaphragmer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb diaphragmer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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