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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb embroussailler

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English Translation: to get tangled up, to become overgrown

Pronunciation: ahm-broo-sah-yay

Language Origin: The verb embroussailler comes from the French words “en” (in) and “broussaille” (undergrowth). It is derived from the verb “broussailler” which means to tangle or get caught in undergrowth.

Usage in Subjonctif Imparfait tense: In everyday French, the Subjonctif Imparfait tense is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past.

Examples:

  1. Je craignais que le jardin ne s’embroussaillât si nous ne le taillions pas régulièrement. (I was afraid that the garden would become overgrown if we didn’t prune it regularly.)
  2. Il fallait que nous nous embroussaillions les cheveux pour entrer dans la grotte étroite. (We had to get our hair tangled to enter the narrow cave.)
  3. J’aurais aimé que les enfants s’embroussaillent moins souvent en jouant dans les buissons. (I wish the children wouldn’t get tangled up so often while playing in the bushes.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je embroussaillasse Je serais surprise si j’embroussaillasse les arbustes. I would be surprised if I tangled the bushes.
tu embroussaillasses Si tu n’étais pas là, tu embroussaillasses tout sur ton passage. If you weren’t here, you would tangle everything in your path.
il embroussaillât Il serait content si il embroussaillât sans se lasser. He would be happy if he tangled without getting tired.
elle embroussaillât Elle serait ravie si elle embroussaillât sans se faire mal. She would be delighted if she tangled without getting hurt.
on embroussaillât Si on embroussaillât moins, on aurait plus de temps libre. If one tangled less, one would have more free time.
nous embroussaillions Si nous embroussaillions tous les jours, nous serions plus expérimentés. If we tangled every day, we would be more experienced.
vous embroussailliez Si vous embroussailliez plus souvent, vous réussiriez mieux. If you tangled more often, you would succeed better.
ils embroussaillaient S’ils embroussaillaient ensemble, ils se fatigueraient vite. If they tangled together, they would get tired quickly.
elles embroussaillaient Si elles embroussaillaient seules, elles s’ennuieraient. If they tangled alone, they would get bored.

Other Conjugations for Embroussailler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb embroussailler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Embroussailler – 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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