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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb diriger

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The English translation of the French verb diriger is “to direct” or “to lead.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “dee-ree-zhay.”

The word diriger comes from the Latin word “dirigere,” meaning “to align” or “to guide.” It entered the French language in the 12th century and has since evolved to take on its current meaning of “to direct” or “to lead.”

Diriger is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is the subjunctive tense used in past situations. This tense is usually used to express doubt, uncertainty, or possibility.

Here are three simple examples of diriger in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je dirige l’équipe. (It was necessary for me to lead the team.)
  2. Il était peu probable qu’il dirige le projet. (It was unlikely that he would direct the project.)
  3. Il aurait fallu qu’elle dirige la réunion. (It would have been necessary for her to lead the meeting.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dirigeasse Si j’étais plus confiant, je dirigeasse mieux. If I were more confident, I would lead better.
tu dirigéasses Si tu avais plus d’expérience, tu dirigéasses plus facilement. If you had more experience, you would lead more easily.
il dirigeât Il serait plus efficace si il dirigeât le projet. It would be more effective if he led the project.
elle dirigeât Elle serait moins stressée si elle dirigeât l’équipe. She would be less stressed if she led the team.
on dirigeât Si on dirigeât d’une manière différente, on aurait plus de succès. If one led in a different way, one would have more success.
nous dirigéassions Si nous dirigéassions ensemble, on aurait moins de conflits. If we led together, we would have less conflicts.
vous dirigéassiez Si vous dirigéassiez de façon plus claire, vous auriez plus d’adhérents. If you led more clearly, you would have more followers.
ils dirigeassent S’ils dirigeassent l’entreprise de manière plus éthique, elle serait plus respectable. If they led the company more ethically, it would be more respected.
elles dirigeassent Si elles dirigeassent la réunion avec organisation, on gagnerait du temps. If they led the meeting with organization, we would save time.

Other Conjugations for Diriger.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb diriger
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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