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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb empaler

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The English translation of empaler is “to impale.” The infinitive form, empaler, is pronounced as ahm-pah-leh.

Empaler comes from the Old French word “empaler” and the Latin word “impalare,” both meaning “to impale.” In everyday French, it is often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense to express a hypothetical or uncertain action or state.

Here are three examples of empaler being used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense with their English translations:

  1. Il fallait que je t’empalasse sur cette lance. (I had to impale you on this lance.)
  2. Si nous avions empalé cette sorcière, elle n’aurait pas pu nous jeter un sort. (If we had impaled that witch, she wouldn’t have been able to cast a spell on us.)
  3. Je redoutais qu’elle ne se fasse empaler par les pointes de fer. (I was afraid she would be impaled by the iron spikes.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je empalasse Je serais choqué si je empalasse un animal. I would be shocked if I impaled an animal.
tu empalasses Tu aurais peur si tu empalasses un vampire. You would be afraid if you impaled a vampire.
il empalât Il serait furieux si il empalât un ennemi. He would be furious if he impaled an enemy.
elle empalât Elle serait horrifiée si elle empalât un zombie. She would be horrified if she impaled a zombie.
on empalât Si on empalât un mort-vivant, il mourrait à nouveau. If one impaled an undead, it would die again.
nous empalassions Si nous empalassions notre nourriture, ce serait bizarre. If we impaled our food, it would be strange.
vous empalassiez Si vous empalassiez quelque chose, vous seriez ridicule. If you impaled something, you would be ridiculous.
ils empalassent S’ils empalassent leur ennemi, ils seraient vainqueurs. If they impaled their enemy, they would be victorious.
elles empalassent Si elles empalassent leur nourriture, elles seraient écoeurées. If they impaled their food, they would be disgusted.

Other Conjugations for Empaler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb empaler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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