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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb disséquer

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The English translation of disséquer is to dissect. It is pronounced as “dee-seh-kay”.

The word disséquer originated from the Latin word “dissecare”, which means to cut or divide. It entered the French language in the 16th century and is derived from the Old French word “dissequer”.

In everyday French, disséquer is most commonly used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used in statements of doubt, desire, or emotion.

3 examples of its usage in Subjonctif Imparfait tense are:

  1. Je ne croyais pas qu’il disséquât la grenouille en classe de biologie. (I didn’t think he would dissect the frog in biology class.)
  2. Elle souhaitait que les enfants ne disséquassent pas les fleurs du jardin. (She wished that the children wouldn’t dissect the flowers in the garden.)
  3. Il était triste que le médecin disséquât son corps pour l’autopsie. (He was sad that the doctor had to dissect his body for the autopsy.)

English translations:

  1. I didn’t think he would dissect the frog in biology class.
  2. She wished that the children wouldn’t dissect the flowers in the garden.
  3. He was sad that the doctor had to dissect his body for the autopsy.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je disséquasse Si j’avais le temps, je disséquasse plus de fleurs. If I had the time, I would dissect more flowers.
tu disséquasses Si tu étudiais plus, tu disséquasses mieux. If you studied more, you would dissect better.
il disséquât Il serait plus précis s’il disséquât avec soin. He would be more precise if he dissected with care.
elle disséquât Elle serait plus passionnée si elle disséquât plus souvent. She would be more passionate if she dissected more often.
on disséquât Si on disséquât ensemble, on pourrait mieux comprendre. If one dissected together, one could understand better.
nous disséquassions Si nous disséquassions en équipe, ce serait plus efficace. If we dissected as a team, it would be more efficient.
vous disséquassiez Si vous disséquassiez moins, vous apprendriez plus. If you dissected less, you would learn more.
ils disséquassent S’ils disséquassent plus profondément, ils découvriraient plus. If they dissected more deeply, they would discover more.
elles disséquassent Si elles disséquassent plus attentivement, elles trouveraient plus de détails. If they dissected more carefully, they would find more details.

Other Conjugations for Disséquer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb disséquer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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