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8.2.2 Formation of the subjonctif imparfait

The subjonctif imparfait is - in opposite to its other Roman brothers in other languages - close to extinction. It is only used in written language. Usually it is substituted by the subjonctif présent or by the subjonctif du passé composé. This means it is enough to know that it exists and that you recognize it, when reading sublime literature.

Forming the subjonctif imparfait is a bit tricky, similar to the passé simple. There is a pattern for verbs ending in -er and -ir. And then, we have two types of pattern for verbs ending in -re and -oir. It seems that the forms are even too complicated for the French, so that they do not use it anymore. And soon, we will only read in old books about it.

The formation of the subjonctif imparfait

		verbs in -er / -ir
		parler (to speak)	finir (to finish)
que	je	parlasse	finisse
que	tu	parlasses	finisses
qu'	il / elle	parlât	finît
que	nous	parlassions	finissions
que	vous	parlassiez	finissiez
qu'	ils / elles	parlassent	finissent

		verbs in -oir
		recevoir (to receive)	voir (to see)
		type 1	type 2
que	je	reçusse	visse
que	tu	reçusses	visses
qu'	il / elle	reçût	vît
que	nous	reçussions	vissions
que	vous	reçussiez	vîssiez
qu'	ils / elles	reçussent	vissent

		verbs in -re
		descendre (to descend)	boire (to drink)
		type 1	type 2
que	je	descendisse	busse
que	tu	descendisses	busses
qu'	il / elle	descendît	bût
que	nous	descendissions	bussions
que	vous	descendissiez	bussiez
qu'	ils / elles	descendissent	bussent

The rule is to take the infinitive stem and add the ending accordingly. However, there are many irregular verbs as we have noticed already with the passé simple. Again we refer to the verb tables in printed or electronical form (e.g. www.verbix.com). Here just two important examples:

Examples
		être	avoir
que	je	fusse	eusse
que	tu	fusses	eusses
qu'	il / elle	fût	eût
que	nous	fussions	eussions
que	vous	fussiez	eussiez
qu'	ils / elles	fussent	eussent

The subjonctif imparfait is only used in written form:

Example
Je craignais qu' il fût trop tard.
I was afraid that he would come too late.

In everyday life one would say:

Example
Je craignais qu' il soit trop tard.
I was afraid that it is too late.

The subjonctif imparfait is - in opposite to its other Roman brothers in other languages - close to extinction. It is only used in written language. Usually it is substituted by the subjonctif présent or by the subjonctif du passé composé. This means it is enough to know that it exists and that you recognize it, when reading sublime literature.

Forming the subjonctif imparfait is a bit tricky, similar to the passé simple. There is a pattern for verbs ending in -er and -ir. And then, we have two types of pattern for verbs ending in -re and -oir. It seems that the forms are even too complicated for the French, so that they do not use it anymore. And soon, we will only read in old books about it.

The formation of the subjonctif imparfait

		verbs in -er / -ir
		parler (to speak)	finir (to finish)
que	je	parlasse	finisse
que	tu	parlasses	finisses
qu'	il / elle	parlât	finît
que	nous	parlassions	finissions
que	vous	parlassiez	finissiez
qu'	ils / elles	parlassent	finissent

		verbs in -oir
		recevoir (to receive)	voir (to see)
		type 1	type 2
que	je	reçusse	visse
que	tu	reçusses	visses
qu'	il / elle	reçût	vît
que	nous	reçussions	vissions
que	vous	reçussiez	vîssiez
qu'	ils / elles	reçussent	vissent

		verbs in -re
		descendre (to descend)	boire (to drink)
		type 1	type 2
que	je	descendisse	busse
que	tu	descendisses	busses
qu'	il / elle	descendît	bût
que	nous	descendissions	bussions
que	vous	descendissiez	bussiez
qu'	ils / elles	descendissent	bussent

The rule is to take the infinitive stem and add the ending accordingly. However, there are many irregular verbs as we have noticed already with the passé simple. Again we refer to the verb tables in printed or electronical form (e.g. www.verbix.com). Here just two important examples:

Examples
		être	avoir
que	je	fusse	eusse
que	tu	fusses	eusses
qu'	il / elle	fût	eût
que	nous	fussions	eussions
que	vous	fussiez	eussiez
qu'	ils / elles	fussent	eussent

The subjonctif imparfait is only used in written form:

Example
Je craignais qu' il fût trop tard.
I was afraid that he would come too late.

In everyday life one would say:

Example
Je craignais qu' il soit trop tard.
I was afraid that it is too late.

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