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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb embrouiller

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The English translation of the French verb embrouiller is “to confuse” or “to muddle.” The infinitive form is pronounced as ahm-broo-yay.

The word embrouiller comes from the Old French word “embrouillier,” which means “to entangle.” It is derived from the words “brouiller” (to mix up) and “en” (in), creating the meaning of “to mix things up or become entangled in things.” In everyday French, it is commonly used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which expresses a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Here are three examples of embrouiller used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense:

  1. Il fallait que je n’embrouillasse pas les choses en leur expliquant tout ça. (I needed to not confuse things by explaining all that to them.)
  2. Si tu ne m’embrouillais pas avec tes questions, je pourrais te donner une réponse claire. (If you didn’t confuse me with your questions, I could give you a clear answer.)
  3. Nous aurions pu gagner le match si on ne s’était pas embrouillés sur les consignes de l’entraîneur. (We could have won the game if we hadn’t become confused about the coach’s instructions.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je embrouillasse Si j’étais stressé, je embrouillasse les mots. If I were stressed, I would jumble my words.
tu embrouillasses Si tu n’étais pas si timide, tu embrouillasses moins. If you weren’t so shy, you would confuse less.
il embrouillât Il serait confus s’il embrouillât ses notes. He would be confused if he jumbled his notes.
elle embrouillât Elle serait perdue si elle embrouillât son discours. She would be lost if she jumbled her speech.
on embrouillât Si on embrouillât moins souvent, on comprendrait mieux. If one jumbled less often, one would understand better.
nous embrouillassions Si nous embrouillassions nos pensées, nous serions confus. If we jumbled our thoughts, we would be confused.
vous embrouillassiez Si vous embrouillassiez les lignes, vous ne pourriez pas lire. If you jumbled the lines, you wouldn’t be able to read.
ils embrouillassent S’ils embrouillassent les cartes, la partie serait compliquée. If they jumbled the cards, the game would be complicated.
elles embrouillassent Si elles ne se embrouillassent pas, elles seraient d’accord. If they didn’t get confused, they would agree.

Other Conjugations for Embrouiller.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb embrouiller
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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