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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb embarrer

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The English translation of the French verb embarrer is “to block” or “to bar.” The infinitive form is pronounced as ahm-bah-reh.

The language origin of embarrer comes from the Old French word “embarrer” which meant “to obstruct or hinder.” In modern French, it is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is a subjunctive mood used for actions or situations that are uncertain or hypothetical in the past.

  1. Il fallait que je n’embarrasse pas le passage. (I had to not block the passage.)
  2. Elle souhaitait que nous embarrassions les portes et les fenêtres. (She wished for us to block the doors and windows.)
  3. Nous aurions préféré que tu n’embarrasses pas la vue. (We would have preferred for you to not block the view.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je embarrasse Si j’étais plus timide, je m’embarrasse moins facilement. If I were shyer, I wouldn’t get embarrassed so easily.
tu embarrasses Si tu embarrasses tes amis, ils risquent de se fâcher. If you embarrass your friends, they might get angry.
il embarrât Il ferait mieux de ne pas embarrât les autres avec ses problèmes. He would be better off not embarrassing others with his problems.
elle embarrât Si elle embarrât moins souvent, elle pourrait se faire plus d’amis. If she didn’t embarrass herself so often, she could make more friends.
on embarrât Si on embarrât tout le monde, on se retrouverait seul. If one embarrassed everyone, they would end up alone.
nous embarrassions Si nous ne nous embarrassions pas si facilement, on aurait plus de confiance. If we didn’t get embarrassed so easily, we would have more confidence.
vous embarrassiez Si vous ne vous embarrassiez pas, vous auriez plus de succès. If you didn’t get embarrassed, you would be more successful.
ils embarrassent S’ils ne s’embarrassent pas de leurs erreurs, ils n’apprendront jamais. If they don’t get embarrassed by their mistakes, they will never learn.
elles embarrassent Si elles s’embarrassent trop, elles n’osent pas prendre de risques. If they get embarrassed too much, they won’t dare take risks.

Other Conjugations for Embarrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb embarrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Embarrer – 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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