il eût

had

y → avoir
to have + t 3rd-person singular imperfect subjunctive
auxiliary · third singular · imperfect subjunctive Rare #28,804
had Literary or formal; used in the subjunctive.
FR: Je doutais qu’il eût compris la question.
EN: I doubted that he had understood the question.
Conjugation of avoir
Subjunctive imperfect
SingularPlural
Third eût

Il n'y avait rien qu'elle eût pu faire.

There was nothing she could have done.

Mon frère ne m'eût-il pas aidée, je me serais noyée.

Had my brother not helped me, I would have drowned.

Ouais, mais c'eût été très important pour moi.

Yeah, but it would have been very important to me.

— La Famille Tenenbaum (2001)

Qui eût cru qu'il s'intéresse tant à cette chèvre?

Who would have thought he was so interested in that goat?

— Wicked (2024)

Il mit ses outils de côté après qu'il eût fini.

He put his tools aside after he had finished.

Qui l'eût cru.

Who would have thought it.

— Benni (2019)

Qui eût cru qu'un si petit être puisse supporter tant de souffrance?

Who would have thought that such a small creature could endure so much suffering?

— Le Seigneur des anneaux : Le Retour du roi (2003)

Qui l'eût cru?

Who would have thought it?

— Infernal Affairs (2002)

Mon frère ne m'eût-il pas aidé, je me serais noyé.

Had my brother not helped me, I would have drowned.

C'eût été embarrassant.

That would have been embarrassing.

Il partit après qu'il eût déjeuné.

He left after he had had lunch.

verb · third singular · imperfect subjunctive Rare #44,533
had Literary or formal past subjunctive form of « avoir ».
FR: Bien qu'il eût peu de temps, il termina son travail.
EN: Although he had little time, he finished his work.
Conjugation of avoir
Subjunctive imperfect
SingularPlural
Third eût

Tom eût un accident de voiture à Rome.

Tom had a car accident in Rome.

Il n'y avait rien qu'il eût pu faire.

There was nothing he could have done.

Marie eût le dernier mot.

Mary had the last word.

En vérité, il n'y eût qu'un seul chrétien, et il mourut sur la croix.

In truth, there was only one Christian, and he died on the cross.

Sounds similar to