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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb doter

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The English translation of the French verb doter is “to endow” or “to equip.” It is pronounced as “doe-tay” in its infinitive form.

The word doter comes from the Old French word “dot” meaning “dowry.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a mood used to express doubt, emotion, or possibility in the past.

Here are three simple examples of how doter is used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense and their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je le dote d’une éducation solide. (It was necessary for me to endow him with a solid education.)

  2. Je souhaitais qu’elle nous dote de ses talents artistiques. (I wished for her to endow us with her artistic talents.)

  3. Il était important que nous le dotions d’un bon sens de l’humour. (It was important for us to endow him with a good sense of humor.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dotasse Si j’avais plus d’argent, je dotasse davantage de ressources à cet organisme. If I had more money, I would provide more resources to this organization.
tu dotasses Si tu faisais plus de bénévolat, tu dotasses les communautés locales. If you did more volunteering, you would benefit local communities.
il dotât Il serait satisfait si il dotât son entreprise d’une meilleure technologie. He would be satisfied if he equipped his company with better technology.
elle dotât Elle serait fière si elle dotât sa ville d’une nouvelle bibliothèque. She would be proud if she endowed her town with a new library.
on dotât Si on dotât toutes les écoles de matériel informatique, on améliorerait l’éducation. If one equipped all schools with computer equipment, education would improve.
nous dotassions Si nous dotassions nos enfants de connaissances, ils réussiraient mieux. If we provided our children with knowledge, they would do better.
vous dotassiez Si vous dotassiez les hôpitaux de personnel qualifié, les soins seraient meilleurs. If you staffed hospitals with qualified personnel, care would be better.
ils dotassent S’ils dotassent les organisations caritatives, ils aideraient les plus démunis. If they endowed charities, they would help the most disadvantaged.
elles dotassent Si elles dotassent les écoles de livres, les élèves apprendraient mieux. If they endowed schools with books, students would learn better.

Other Conjugations for Doter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb doter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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