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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dilapider

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The English translation of the French verb dilapider is “to squander” or “to waste.” It is pronounced dee-la-pee-day.

The word dilapider comes from the Latin “dilapidare,” meaning “to scatter or destroy stones.” In modern French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used with the conjunction “que” to introduce a subordinate clause.

Examples of dilapider used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense in everyday French are:

  1. Je craignais qu’il ne dilapidât tout son argent en jouant au casino. (I was afraid he would squander all his money playing at the casino.)
  2. Il était recommandé que les employés ne dilapidassent pas les fournitures de bureau. (It was recommended that the employees not waste office supplies.)
  3. Nous souhaitions qu’elle ne dilapidât pas son héritage en achetant des choses inutiles. (We wished she would not squander her inheritance buying unnecessary things.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dilapidasse Si j’étais riche, je dilapidasse tout mon argent. If I were rich, I would squander all my money.
tu dilapidasses Si tu n’étais pas si dépensier, tu dilapidasses moins. If you weren’t so spendthrift, you would squander less.
il dilapidât Il serait en colère si il dilapidât ses économies. He would be angry if he squandered his savings.
elle dilapidât Elle serait déçue si elle dilapidât tout son héritage. She would be disappointed if she squandered all her inheritance.
on dilapidât Si on dilapidât moins d’argent, on pourrait économiser. If one squandered less money, one could save.
nous dilapidassions Si nous dilapidassions nos ressources, nous serions dans le besoin. If we squandered our resources, we would be in need.
vous dilapidassiez Si vous dilapidassiez trop, vous pourriez vous retrouver endettés. If you squandered too much, you could end up in debt.
ils dilapidassent S’ils dilapidassent leur capital, ils perdraient tout. If they squandered their capital, they would lose everything.
elles dilapidassent Si elles dilapidassent ensemble, elles seraient dans la pauvreté. If they squandered together, they would be in poverty.

Other Conjugations for Dilapider.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dilapider
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Dilapider – 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.

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