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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb embâter

Get the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) tense conjugation of embâter. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb embâter is “to confuse” or “to perplex.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “ahm-bah-tay.”

The language origin of embâter can be traced back to the Old French word “embaer,” which means “to entangle.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples of embâter in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je l’embâtasse avec mes explications. (I had to confuse him with my explanations.)
  2. Je craignais qu’elle ne s’embâtât en voyant le cadeau. (I was afraid she would be confused when she saw the gift.)
  3. Il était dommage que nous embâtions les invités avec nos problèmes de couple. (It was a shame that we were confusing the guests with our relationship problems.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je embâtasse Je voudrais que je t’embâtasse. I wish I could mess with you.
tu embâtasses Tu serais déçu si tu embâtasses ton frère. You would be disappointed if you messed with your brother.
il embâtât Il devait se réveiller tôt pour qu’il embâtât les animaux. He had to wake up early to mess with the animals.
elle embâtât Elle ne voulait pas qu’elle embâtât sa sœur. She didn’t want her sister to mess with her.
on embâtât Si on embâtât la situation, on ne ferait que l’aggraver. If one messed with the situation, it would only make it worse.
nous embâtassions Nous aurions plus de temps si nous embâtassions moins. We would have more time if we messed with less.
vous embâtassiez Si vous embâtassiez moins votre travail, vous le feriez plus rapidement. If you messed with your work less, you would do it more quickly.
ils embâtassent S’ils embâtassent leur vie, ils en seraient moins heureux. If they messed with their life, they wouldn’t be as happy.
elles embâtassent Si elles embâtassent leurs cheveux, elles seraient plus belles. If they messed with their hair, they would be more beautiful.

Other Conjugations for Embâter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb embâter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the embâter Subjonctif Imparfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts