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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb elaguer

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The English translation of the French verb elaguer is “to prune” or “to trim.” It is pronounced as “eh-lah-geh.”

The word “elaguer” comes from the Latin word “exlaguare,” meaning “to weed out.” It was first used in Old French in the 12th century to refer to the act of pruning trees. In modern French, it is still used primarily in the context of gardening or forestry, but can also be used figuratively to mean “to cut back” or “to remove unnecessary parts.”

In the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, elaguer is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the conjunction “si” (if) to express a condition or possibility.

Example 1: Si j’avais su, j’aurais pu elaguer cet arbre. (If I had known, I could have pruned this tree.)

Example 2: Il était important que tu elaguasses les branches mortes. (It was important that you pruned the dead branches.)

Example 3: Nous avions peur qu’ils n’elaguassent toutes les fleurs. (We were afraid that they would prune all the flowers.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je élaguasse Si j’avais un jardin, j’élaguasse les arbres. If I had a garden, I would cut the trees.
tu élaguasses Si tu ne te fatigues pas, tu élaguasses les branches. If you don’t get tired, you would trim the branches.
il élaguât Il serait plus facile s’il élaguât moins souvent. It would be easier if he pruned less often.
elle élaguât Elle pourrait se blesser si elle élaguât les branches hautes. She could get hurt if she pruned the high branches.
on élaguât Si on élaguât plus fréquemment, les arbres seraient plus beaux. If one pruned more often, the trees would be more beautiful.
nous élaguassions Si nous élaguassions ensemble, ça irait plus vite. If we pruned together, it would go faster.
vous élaguassiez Si vous élaguassiez mieux, le jardin serait plus beau. If you pruned better, the garden would be more beautiful.
ils élaguassent S’ils élaguassent les branches mortes, l’arbre serait plus sain. If they pruned the dead branches, the tree would be healthier.
elles élaguassent Si elles élaguassent les plantes, le jardin serait plus ordonné. If they pruned the plants, the garden would be more organized.

Other Conjugations for Elaguer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb elaguer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Elaguer – 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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