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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dilacérer

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The English translation of the French verb dilacérer is “to tear to pieces” or “to shred.” It is pronounced “dee-lah-seh-reh.”

Dilacérer comes from the Latin word “dilacerare,” meaning “to tear apart” or “to rip up.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je dilacère les documents pour les détruire. (I had to tear up the documents to destroy them.)

  2. Elle craignait que le chien ne dilacère son nouveau canapé. (She was afraid that the dog would tear up her new couch.)

  3. Nous espérions que la tempête ne dilacérerait pas notre maison. (We were hoping that the storm would not tear our house apart.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je déchirasse Si j’étais en colère, je déchirasse mes vêtements. If I were angry, I would tear my clothes.
tu déchirasses Si tu avais un couteau, tu déchirasses la viande. If you had a knife, you would carve the meat.
il déchirât Il serait choqué si il déchirât les photos. He would be shocked if he tore the photos.
elle déchirât Elle serait triste si elle déchirât sa robe préférée. She would be sad if she tore her favorite dress.
on déchirât Si on déchirât le papier, on verrait le dessin caché. If one tore the paper, one would see the hidden drawing.
nous déchirassions Si nous déchirassions le contrat, nous serions libres. If we tore the contract, we would be free.
vous déchirassiez Si vous déchirassiez les cartes, vous perdriez le jeu. If you tore the cards, you would lose the game.
ils déchirassent Si ils déchirassent les fleurs, ils seraient punis. If they tore the flowers, they would be punished.
elles déchirassent Si elles déchirassent le livre, elles ne pourraient pas le lire. If they tore the book, they wouldn’t be able to read it.

Other Conjugations for Dilacérer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dilacérer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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