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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dissimuler

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The English translation of the French verb dissimuler is “to hide” or “to conceal.” In its infinitive form, it is pronounced as “dee-see-moo-lay.”

The word dissimuler comes from the Latin word “dissimulare,” meaning “to feign ignorance or conceal,” which was then adapted into Old French as “dissimuler.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a tense used to express actions or states that are uncertain, hypothetical, or contrary to reality.

Here are 3 simple examples of its usage in this tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je dissimulasse mes sentiments. (I had to hide my feelings.)
  2. Si seulement elle ne dissimulait pas ses intentions ! (If only she didn’t hide her intentions!)
  3. Nous aurions aimé qu’il ne dissimulât pas la vérité. (We would have liked if he hadn’t concealed the truth.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dissimulasse Si j’avais peur, je dissimulasse mes émotions. If I were scared, I would hide my emotions.
tu dissimulasses Si tu savais la vérité, tu dissimulasses mal. If you knew the truth, you would hide it poorly.
il dissimulât Il serait déçu si il dissimulât ses erreurs. He would be disappointed if he hid his mistakes.
elle dissimulât Elle serait triste si elle dissimulât ses sentiments. She would be sad if she hid her feelings.
on dissimulât Si on dissimulât bien, on pourrait tromper les autres. If one hid well, one could deceive others.
nous dissimulassions Si nous dissimulassions moins, nous serions plus honnêtes. If we hid less, we would be more honest.
vous dissimulassiez Si vous dissimulassiez mieux, vous ne seriez pas découverts. If you hid better, you wouldn’t be discovered.
ils dissimulassent S’ils dissimulassent leurs intentions, on ne saurait pas quoi faire. If they hid their intentions, we wouldn’t know what to do.
elles dissimulassent Si elles dissimulassent plus leurs secrets, elles seraient plus confiantes. If they hid their secrets more, they would be more confident.

Other Conjugations for Dissimuler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dissimuler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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