French Grammar: The Imperfect Subjunctive
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French Grammar: The Imperfect Subjunctive
la grammaire française: l’imparfait du subjonctif
Like the Present Subjunctive, the Imperfect Subjunctive is used to express doubt, how a person feels about an action or state of being, a wish, intent, or command. It can also be used to express facts that are the opposite of reality.
However, the Imperfect Subjunctive is a literary form – that is, it is only used in formal writing (such as literature and historical accounts). It is almost never used in everyday conversational French.
Study:
Like the Present Subjunctive, the Imperfect Subjunctive is used to express doubt, how a person feels about an action or state of being, a wish, intent, or command. It can also be used to express facts that are the opposite of reality.
The Imperfect Subjunctive is used in the same way as the Present Subjunctive, except that the verb in the main clause is in a PAST tense.
For example:
Present Subjunctive:
Main clause = present tense
Subordinate clause = present subjunctive mood
Imperfect Subjunctive:
Main clause = past tense
Subordinate clause = imperfect subjunctive mood
It’s important to note that the Imperfect Subjunctive is a literary form – that is, it is only used in formal writing (such as literature and historical accounts). In everyday conversational French, the present subjunctive mood is used instead.
So why learn the Imperfect Subjunctive? Because being able to recognize this form (just like being able to recognize the Passé Simple, Passé Antérieur, and Pluperfect Subjunctive literary forms) will allow you to read older works of French literature and history.
How to form the Imperfect Subjunctive:
A. To form the Imperfect Subjunctive of –ER verbs, we add the following endings to the verb stem:
… que je : –asse
… que tu : –asses
… qu’il / elle / on : –asse
… que nous : –assions
… que vous : –assiez
… qu’ils /elles : –assent
For example:
DANSER (to dance) –> dans-
… que je dansasse
… que tu dansasses
… qu’il / elle / on dansasse
… que nous dansassions
… que vous dansassiez
… qu’ils / elles dansassent
NOTE: [-ER] verbs with spelling changes (such as commencer and nager) in the first-person plural (i.e., nous) form of the Present Indicative Tense have their spelling change in all forms of the Imperfect Subjunctive: … que je commençasse / … que tu commençasses, … que je nageasse, … que tu nageasses, etc.
B. To form the Imperfect Subjunctive of –IR, -RE and irregular verbs, we take the third-person singular (il) form of the Passé Simple, drop the final -t-, and add the Imperfect Subjunctive endings:
… que je : –sse
… que tu : –sses
… qu’il / elle / on : –ˆt
… que nous : –ssions
… que vous : –ssiez
… qu’ils /elles : –ssent
For example:
FINIR (to finish) –> il finit –> fini-
… que je finisse
… que tu finisses
… qu’il / elle / on finît
… que nous finissions
… que vous finissiez
… qu’ils / elles finissent
RENDRE (to give back / to return) –> il rendit –> rendi-
… que je rendisse
… que tu rendisses
… qu’il / elle / on rendît
… que nous rendissions
… que vous rendissiez
… qu’ils / elles rendissent
AVOIR (to have) –> il eut –> eu-
… que j’eusse
… que tu eusses
… qu’il / elle / on eût
… que nous eussions
… que vous eussiez
… qu’ils / elles eussent
ÊTRE (to be) –> il fut –> fu-
… que je fusse
… que tu fusses
… qu’il / elle / on fût
… que nous fussions
… que vous fussiez
… qu’ils / elles fussent
FAIRE (to do / to make) –> il fit –> fi-
… que je fisse
… que tu fisses
… qu’il / elle / on fît
… que nous fissions
… que vous fissiez
… qu’ils / elles fissent
VENIR (to come) –> il vint –> vin-
… que je vinsse
… que tu vinsses
… qu’il / elle / on vînt
… que nous vinssions
… que vous vinssiez
… qu’ils / elles vinssent
Compare these sentences:
Il voulait que je vinsse. (Literary form – Imperfect Subjunctive)
He wanted me to come.
Il voulait que je vienne. (Everyday conversation equivalent – Present Subjunctive)
Adapt:
Il a fallu que nous finissions les devoirs.
It was necessary that we finish the homework.
J’ai recommandé qu’il prît des vacances.
I recommended that he take a vacation.
Il était important qu’ils utilisassent les outils appropriés.
It was important that they use the appropriate tools.
L’enfant ne voulait pas que vous lui fissiez d’injection.
The child did not want you (formal) to give him an injection.
Il était nécessaire que nous parlassions avec le patron.
It was necessary for us to speak with the owner.
