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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb diluer

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The English translation of the French verb diluer is “to dilute.” The infinitive form of diluer is pronounced “dee-lweh.”

Diluer comes from the Latin word diluere, which means “to wash away” or “to dissolve.” In every day French, diluer is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Three simple examples of diluer in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Il fallait que je diluasse le sirop avant de le boire. (It was necessary that I dilute the syrup before drinking it.)
  2. Je souhaitais que tu diluasses la peinture pour obtenir une couleur plus claire. (I wished that you would dilute the paint to get a lighter color.)
  3. Il était possible que nous diluassions le produit avec de l’eau pour le rendre moins concentré. (It was possible that we would dilute the product with water to make it less concentrated.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je diluasse Si j’avais plus d’eau, je diluasse le jus de citron. If I had more water, I would dilute the lemon juice.
tu diluasses Si tu avais moins de sucre, tu diluasses le thé. If you had less sugar, you would dilute the tea.
il diluât Il serait mieux si il diluât le médicament. It would be better if he diluted the medicine.
elle diluât Elle devrait diluât le colorant avant de l’utiliser. She should dilute the dye before using it.
on diluât Si on diluât le produit, il serait moins fort. If one diluted the product, it would be less strong.
nous diluassions Si nous diluassions ensemble, ça serait plus facile. If we diluted together, it would be easier.
vous diluassiez Si vous diluassiez correctement, le goût serait meilleur. If you diluted correctly, the taste would be better.
ils diluassent S’ils diluassent plus, le résultat serait différent. If they diluted more, the result would be different.
elles diluassent Si elles diluassent avant de boire, ça serait moins fort. If they diluted before drinking, it would be less strong.

Other Conjugations for Diluer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb diluer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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