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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb doler

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The English translation of the French verb “doler” is “to hurt” or “to ache.” It is pronounced as “doh-leh.”

The word “doler” has its origins in the Latin word “dolere,” meaning “to grieve” or “to suffer.” In everyday French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a mood used to express hypothetical or uncertain actions in the past.

Example 1: “Il fallait que je ne meure pas de la douleur qui me dolait le cœur.” (It was necessary for me not to die from the pain that was aching my heart.)
Example 2: “J’aurais aimé que tu me dises si ça te dolait encore.” (I would have liked for you to tell me if it still hurt you.)
Example 3: “Il était possible que la blessure lui dolât pendant des années.” (It was possible that the wound would hurt him for years.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dolasse Si j’avais mal, je dolasse toute la journée. If I were in pain, I would hurt all day.
tu dolasses Si tu te blessais, tu dolasses beaucoup. If you got hurt, you would hurt a lot.
il dolât Il serait triste si il dolât constamment. He would be sad if he were in pain all the time.
elle dolât Elle serait inquiète si elle dolât trop. She would be worried if she hurt too much.
on dolât Si on dolât moins, on bougerait plus. If one hurt less, one would move more.
nous dolassions Si nous dolassions ensemble, nous irions mieux. If we hurt together, we would be better.
vous dolassiez Si vous dolassiez plus fort, vous pleureriez. If you hurt more, you would cry.
ils dolassent S’ils ne se soignaient pas, ils dolassent encore. If they didn’t take care of themselves, they would still hurt.
elles dolassent Si elles dolassent moins, elles seraient plus heureuses. If they hurt less, they would be happier.

Other Conjugations for Doler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb doler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Doler – 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.

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