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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb effeuiller

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The English translation of the French verb effeuiller is “to pluck off (leaves, petals), to strip (a plant), to take off (clothing/leaves), to remove (leaves)”. The infinitive form of effeuiller is pronounced as “eh-fuh-yuh”.

Effeuiller comes from the Latin word “exfoliare” meaning “to remove leaves”. It is a regular -er verb and is most often used in every day French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express an action that is uncertain or hypothetical in the past.

Here are 3 simple examples of effeuiller in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je l’effeuillasse pour préparer la salade. (I had to pluck off the leaves to prepare the salad.)
  2. Je souhaitais que tu effeuillasses les fleurs avant de les mettre dans le vase. (I wished that you would remove the petals before putting them in the vase.)
  3. Nous préférions qu’ils n’effeuillassent pas l’arbre avant l’automne. (We preferred that they didn’t strip the tree before autumn.)

In each of these examples, the use of the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with effeuiller indicates a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It suggests that the action may or may not have been completed.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je effeuillasse Si j’avais des fleurs, je effeuillasse leur pétales. If I had flowers, I would pluck their petals.
tu effeuillasses Si tu effeuillasses les étapes, tu auras plus de temps. If you skip steps, you’ll have more time.
il effeuillât Il serait triste si il effeuillât le livre. He would be sad if he flipped through the book.
elle effeuillât Elle serait en colère si elle effeuillât une rose. She would be angry if she plucked a rose.
on effeuillât Si on effeuillât le chou, on pourrait voir les feuilles. If one peeled back the cabbage, one could see the leaves.
nous effeuillassions Si nous effeuillassions toute la plante, nous découvririons la racine. If we picked apart the whole plant, we would discover the root.
vous effeuillassiez Si vous effeuillassiez toutes les pages, vous trouveriez la réponse. If you turned over all the pages, you would find the answer.
ils effeuillassent S’ils effeuillassent les feuilles avant de les manger, ils seraient mieux nourris. If they stripped the leaves before eating them, they would be better fed.
elles effeuillassent Si elles effeuillassent les marguerites, elles sauraient si elles sont aimées. If they plucked the petals of daisies, they would know if they are loved.

Other Conjugations for Effeuiller.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb effeuiller
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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