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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb différencier

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The English translation of the French verb différencier is “to differentiate” or “to distinguish”. It is pronounced as “dee-feh-rehn-see-eh”.

Différencier comes from the Latin word “differentiare”, which means “to distinguish” and was later adapted into Old French as “differencier”. It is most often used in everyday French to indicate a distinction or difference between two or more things. In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, différencier expresses a hypothetical or uncertain situation.

Examples:

  1. Il fallait que je différencie les deux jumeaux car ils se ressemblaient tellement. (I had to differentiate the two twins because they looked so alike.)
  2. Mes parents voulaient que je différencie le bien du mal dans mes décisions. (My parents wanted me to differentiate between right and wrong in my decisions.)
  3. Nous souhaitions que le jury différencie les bons élèves des excellents élèves. (We hoped that the jury would differentiate between the good students and the excellent students.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je différenciasse Si j’étais plus attentif, je différenciasse mieux les couleurs. If I were more attentive, I would differentiate colors better.
tu différenciasses Si tu t’exerçais plus, tu différenciasses plus facilement. If you practiced more, you would differentiate more easily.
il différenciât Il serait plus performant si il différenciât plus rapidement. He would be more efficient if he differentiated more quickly.
elle différenciât Elle serait plus précise si elle différenciât bien les nuances. She would be more precise if she differentiated nuances well.
on différenciât Si on différenciât les styles, on comprendrait mieux l’art. If one differentiated styles, one would understand art better.
nous différenciassions Si nous différenciassions les mots, nous améliorerions notre vocabulaire. If we differentiated words, we would improve our vocabulary.
vous différenciassiez Si vous différenciassiez les ingrédients, vous obtiendriez une meilleure saveur. If you differentiated ingredients, you would get a better flavor.
ils différenciassent S’ils différenciassent les cultures, ils auraient une meilleure compréhension. If they differentiated cultures, they would have a better understanding.
elles différenciassent Si elles différenciassent les textures, elles pourraient mieux cuisiner. If they differentiated textures, they could cook better.

Other Conjugations for Différencier.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb différencier
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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