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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb différentier

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The English translation of the French verb différentier is “to differentiate” or “to distinguish.” It is pronounced as “deef-er-own-tee-ay.”

The language origin of différentier can be traced back to the Latin word “differentiare,” which means “to make different.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a past tense used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action.

Examples:

  1. Je souhaitais que tu différenties les deux options avant de prendre une décision. (I wished that you would differentiate the two options before making a decision.)
  2. Il fallait que nous différentiions entre les faits et les opinions pour comprendre la situation. (We had to differentiate between facts and opinions to understand the situation.)
  3. Elle aurait préféré que vous différentiiez les couleurs utilisées dans le projet. (She would have preferred that you differentiate the colors used in the project.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je différenciaisse Si j’étais plus doué, je différenciaisse mieux les couleurs. If I were more talented, I would differentiate colors better.
tu différenciaisses Si tu étudiais plus, tu différenciaisses mieux les formes. If you studied more, you would differentiate shapes better.
il différenciaît Il serait plus fort s’il différenciaît mieux les sons. He would be stronger if he differentiated sounds better.
elle différenciaît Elle serait plus précise si elle différenciaît les textures. She would be more precise if she differentiated textures.
on différenciaît Si on s’entraînait plus, on différenciaît mieux les goûts. If one trained more, one would differentiate tastes better.
nous différenciassions Si nous différenciassions plus, nous aurions plus de succès. If we differentiated more, we would have more success.
vous différenciassiez Si vous différenciassiez mieux, vous seriez plus compétents. If you differentiated better, you would be more competent.
ils différenciaient S’ils différenciaient plus, ils seraient plus créatifs. If they differentiated more, they would be more creative.
elles différenciaient Si elles différenciaient mieux, elles seraient plus originales. If they differentiated better, they would be more original.

Other Conjugations for Différentier.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb différentier
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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