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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb dompter

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The English translation of the French verb dompter is “to tame” or “to conquer.” It is pronounced as “dohm-tay.”

The word dompter comes from the Latin word domitare, which means “to tame” or “to subdue.” It entered the French language in the 12th century and has been in use ever since.

In everyday French, dompter is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a wish or a hypothetical situation in the past. This tense is formed by using the imperfect form of the subjunctive mood, which is used to indicate uncertainty or subjectivity.

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. J’aurais aimé que tu domptasses le cheval sauvage. (I would have liked for you to tame the wild horse.)
  2. Il fallait que nous domptions nos peurs pour réussir. (We had to conquer our fears to succeed.)
  3. Je souhaitais que tu domptasses ta colère avant de parler. (I wished for you to tame your anger before speaking.)

In each of these examples, the Subjonctif Imparfait tense is used to express a desire or a hypothetical situation in the past. The verb dompter is conjugated in this tense to match the subject of the sentence, and is followed by the infinitive form of the verb that indicates the desired action. In English, the Subjonctif Imparfait tense is translated using modal verbs such as “would have” or “had to” to convey the same sense of uncertainty or subjunctivity.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je domptasse Si je n’avais pas peur, je domptasse sauvagement les lions. If I wasn’t afraid, I would tame the lions fiercely.
tu domptasses Si tu n’avais pas mal, tu domptasses mieux les chevaux. If you weren’t in pain, you would tame the horses better.
il domptât Il serait plus calme s’il domptât ses émotions. He would be calmer if he tamed his emotions.
elle domptât Elle serait plus forte si elle domptât ses peurs. She would be stronger if she tamed her fears.
on domptât Si on domptât les vagues, on pourrait naviguer. If one tamed the waves, one could sail.
nous domptassions Si nous domptassions ensemble, nous serions invincibles. If we tamed together, we would be invincible.
vous domptassiez Si vous domptassiez votre colère, vous seriez plus aimable. If you tamed your anger, you would be more likeable.
ils domptassent S’ils domptassent leur orgueil, ils seraient moins arrogants. If they tamed their pride, they would be less arrogant.
elles domptassent Si elles domptassent les serpents, elles seraient plus courageuses. If they tamed the snakes, they would be braver.

Other Conjugations for Dompter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb dompter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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