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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb duper

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The English translation of the French verb duper is “to deceive” or “to trick”. The infinitive form, duper, is pronounced as “doo-peh”.

The origin of duper can be traced back to the Latin word “dupere”, meaning “to deceive”. It entered the French language in the 16th century and has since become a common verb used in everyday speech.

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, duper is most often used to express a hypothetical situation, doubt, or wish. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense:

  1. Il fallait que je te duper pour que tu ne découvres pas la surprise. (I had to deceive you so that you wouldn’t discover the surprise.)

  2. Je craignais qu’il ne me dupât avec ses belles paroles. (I was afraid that he would deceive me with his sweet words.)

  3. J’aurais aimé que tu ne me dupasses pas en te moquant de moi. (I wish you hadn’t deceived me by making fun of me.)

In these examples, the Subjonctif Imparfait tense is used to express a past action that is uncertain or hypothetical. It is often used in conjunction with expressions such as “il fallait que” (it was necessary that), “je craignais que” (I was afraid that), or “j’aurais aimé que” (I wish).

English translations:

  1. I had to deceive you so that you wouldn’t discover the surprise.
  2. I was afraid that he would deceive me with his sweet words.
  3. I wish you hadn’t deceived me by making fun of me.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je dupasse Si j’avais su, je dupasse personne. If I had known, I would have duped no one.
tu dupasses Si tu étais plus attentif, tu dupasses moins. If you were more attentive, you would dupe less.
il dupât Il serait furieux si il dupât sa famille. He would be furious if he duped his family.
elle dupât Elle serait choquée si elle dupât son patron. She would be shocked if she duped her boss.
on dupât Si on dupât moins, on aurait plus de confiance. If one duped less, one would have more confidence.
nous dupassions Si nous dupassions ensemble, ça serait plus amusant. If we duped together, it would be more fun.
vous dupassiez Si vous dupassiez les règles, vous seriez punis. If you duped the rules, you would be punished.
ils dupassent S’ils dupassent les autres, ils se sentiront coupables. If they duped others, they would feel guilty.
elles dupassent Si elles dupassent leurs amis, elles se feront remarquer. If they duped their friends, they would stand out.

Other Conjugations for Duper.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb duper
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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