imposées

Imposées is the feminine plural past participle form of the verb imposer in French, and as an adjective it means “imposed” or “levied.” It is used to describe things that have been mandated or required by authorities, especially in legal, administrative, or economic contexts.

In everyday language, imposées typically modifies feminine nouns. Common collocations include mesures imposées (imposed measures), règles imposées (imposed rules), conditions imposées (imposed conditions), and taxes imposées (imposed taxes). The phrase conveys that an obligation or levy originated from a higher authority, such as a government or regulator.

Grammatical note: when imposée is part of a compound verb form with the auxiliary avoir in the passé composé, the past participle normally does not agree with the subject; it may agree with a preceding direct object, for example: les mesures que j’ai imposées. In passive constructions or when used with être, the past participle agrees with the subject: les règles imposées par la loi. The feminine plural form imposées thus reflects both gender and number of the noun it describes.

Etymology and related terms: imposées derives from imposer, itself from Latin imponere, meaning “to place upon.” Related terms include imposer (to impose), imposition (the act or system of imposing), and impôt (tax). The nuance of imposées centers on something that has been mandated rather than freely chosen.

See also: imposer, imposition, impôt.