Soumettais

Soumettais is the imperfect indicative form of the French verb soumettre, meaning to submit, to subject, or to propose for consideration. In this tense it describes past actions that were ongoing or habitual, such as repeatedly submitting something or being subject to a condition. The form corresponds to je soumettais, tu soumettais, il soumettait, nous soumettions, vous soumettiez, ils soumettaient.

Etymology and form: soumettre derives from the Latin submittĕre, from sub- “under” and mittere “to send.” In the imperfect, the verb adopts endings common to -er and other regular verbs, with the characteristic doubling of the final t in forms like soumettais (the stem soumet- plus the -tais ending yields soumett- + ais).

Usage: The form is primarily used in narrative or formal writing to describe past submissions or acts of subjecting. Examples include: Je soumettais mes idées à l’approbation du comité, ou Il soumettait les documents à la revue. It can also express a sense of placing someone or something under a condition or control in the past: Nous soumettions les suspects à des tests.

Notes: Soumettre is a transitive verb and often takes a direct object (une proposition, un document, une idée). The imperfect form soumettais is distinct from other tenses and moods; the corresponding imperfect forms for other subjects expand as je soumettais, il soumettait, nous soumettions, vous soumettiez, ils soumettaient.

See also: soumettre, soumission, soumession.