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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dispenser

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The English translation of the French verb dispenser is “to dispense.” It is pronounced as “dee-spahn-say” in its infinitive form.

The word “dispenser” comes from the Latin word “dispensare,” meaning “to distribute.” In French, it is most often used as a transitive verb, meaning it needs an object in order to make sense. In everyday French, it is commonly used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or unreal situation in the past.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, along with their English translations:

1) Si j’étais riche, je te dispenserais de payer le loyer. (If I were rich, I would dispense you from paying the rent.)

2) Elle aurait aimé que je lui aie dispensé un peu plus de temps. (She would have liked it if I had dispensed her a little more time.)

3) Nous voulions que vous dispensiez votre aide à ceux qui en avaient besoin. (We wanted you to dispense your help to those in need.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dispensasse Je le ferais si je dispensasse un cours. I would do it if I taught a class.
tu dispensasses Tu comprendrais si tu dispensasses plus d’efforts. You would understand if you put in more effort.
il dispensât Il serait heureux s’il dispensât son temps. He would be happy if he spent his time.
elle dispensât Elle serait surprise si elle dispensât avec moi. She would be surprised if she spent time with me.
on dispensât Si on dispensât le temps, on pourrait faire plus. If one spent time, one could do more.
nous dispensassions Si nous dispensassions nos devoirs, nous aurions plus de temps libre. If we did our homework, we would have more free time.
vous dispensassiez Si vous dispensassiez votre attention, vous comprendriez mieux. If you paid more attention, you would understand better.
ils dispensassent S’ils dispensassent plus d’efforts, ils réussiraient. If they put in more effort, they would succeed.
elles dispensassent Si elles dispensassent leur temps, elles seraient plus productives. If they spent their time, they would be more productive.

Other Conjugations for Dispenser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dispenser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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