The French plus-que-parfait(pluperfect) is a past compound tenseNo definition set for compound tenseLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. formed using an auxiliary verbNo definition set for auxiliary verbLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum., conjugated in the imperfect tense, and a past participleNo definition set for past participleLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.. We use the French plus-que-parfait(pluperfect) to talk about a past action which happened before another past action. The plus-que-parfait is the equivalent to the English past perfect (“had verbed”), and it has two components: the auxiliary verb and the past participle. Take a look at the examples below:
J’avais commencé les réparations.
I had started the repairs.
Ils avaient oublié leurs uniformes.
I had started the repairs.
Elle était montée en haut du gratte-ciel ?
Had she gone up the skyscraper?
When using the plus-que-parfait to talk about the “past of the past,” you’ll likely need to use another one of the French past tenses (passé composé, imparfait, etc) alongside the pluperfect.
J’étais déjà levé quand les éboueurs sont passés.
I had already got up when the garbage men came by.
étais levé → pluperfect: first action
sont passés → passé composé: second action
In this post, we’ll first review how to form the pluperfect tense in French, and then we’ll cover when you might want to use it!
C’est parti, mon kiki !
Here we go!
The pluperfect is formed using an auxiliary verb (either avoir(to have) or être(to be)), conjugated in the imperfect tense, followed by the past participle of the verb.
The plus-que-parfait is a French compound tense, meaning it is built in a very similar way as the passé composé, except that the auxiliaries avoir(to have) and être are conjugated in the imperfect instead of the present tense!
Let’s look at the formation step by step:
👣Step 1: Choose the right auxiliary verb
Most verbs take the auxiliary avoir(to have) and only a handful of verbs take the auxiliary être(to be). Some of these verbs are very common, such as aller(to go), arriver(to arrive), and partir(to leave). Also, all reflexive verbs take être. So, it’s still important to know which auxiliary verb to select, so make sure to pay attention!
👣Step 2: Conjugate the auxiliary verb in the imperfect tense:
avoir(to have) | English |
|---|---|
j'avais | I had |
tu avais | you had |
il/elle/on avait | he/she/we had |
nous avions | we had |
vous aviez | you had |
ils/elles avaient | they had |
être(to be) | English |
|---|---|
j’étais | I was |
tu étais | you were |
il/elle/on était | he/she/we were |
nous étions | we were |
vous étiez | you were |
ils/elles étaient | they were |
👣Step 3: Add the past participle!
Here is a reminder of how to form the past participle in French:
Forming French past participles | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Verb ending in -er | Verb ending in -er | Verb ending in -er | |
Rule | Remove -er, add -é | Remove -r | Remove -re, add -u |
Example | jouer(to play) → jou- → joué | finir(to finish) → fini | vendre(to sell) → vend- → vendu |
When you have completed all three steps, you should end up with this:
subject
auxiliary verb
past participle
Ils seraient partis.
They had left.
Charlotte et Chloé auraient appelé.
Charlotte and Chloe had called.
🚩Do you know why I added -s to parti? Don’t forget that sometimes the past participle agrees with the subject or direct object!
Here is how to switch from the passé composé to the plus-que-parfait in just one step!
Verb in the passé composé | Verb in the plus-que-parfait |
|---|---|
j’ai fait I did | j’avais fait I had done |
elle est allée she went | elle était allée she had gone |
ils sont partis they left | ils étaient partis they had left |
French past participle agreement is needed with either the subjectNo definition set for subjectLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. or the objectNo definition set for objectLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. of the sentence, depending on which auxiliary verb you use and the structure of the sentence.
With the auxiliary être, the past participle must agreeNo definition set for agreeLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. with the subject in the following ways:
Gender and number of the subject: | Past participle ending change: | Example: |
|---|---|---|
Masculine singular | None | Il était monté. He had gone up. |
Masculine plural | Add -s | Ils était montés. They had gone up. |
Feminine singular | Add -e | Elle était montée. She had gone up. |
Feminine plural | Add -es | Elle était montées. They had gone up. |
As you probably know, the subject pronoun on is the equivalent to nous, and is used mainly in speaking and informal situations. Make note of who on refers to in the sentence and add the appropriate ending. For example, if on refers to a group of males and females, add -s to the past participle. If on refers only to a group of women, you would add -es.
When you use the auxiliary avoir, the past participle doesn’t agree with the subject.
Although the auxiliary verb avoir will never form agreement with the subject, sometimes an agreement will be formed between the past participle and the direct objectNo definition set for direct objectLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.. If the direct object comes before the verb, the past participle must agree with this direct object in genderNo definition set for genderLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. and number. Just remember, this only happens when the direct object is placed before the auxiliary verb! Take a look:
Les vols que j’avais réservés sont annulés !
The flights I had booked are canceled!
J’avais réservé les vols et ils sont annulés !
I had booked flights and they are canceled!
To find the direct object of the sentence, ask yourself: “what?”
For example:
What did I book? The flights.
We have seen how to construct the pluperfect itself. Now, let’s look at how to build sentences in the pluperfect! We’ll look at where to put adverbs, where to put pronouns, and how to form negative sentences.
In the pluperfect, adverbs can go either after the past participle or between the auxiliary verb and the past participle. Where to place the adverb depends on its length, along with the type of information the adverb provides.
Longer adverbs (of three syllables or more) that indicate manner
These are placed after the past participle. These adverbs of mannerNo definition set for adverbs of mannerLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. include words such as franchement(frankly), sérieusement(seriously), or ensemble(together).
J’avais mangé rapidement et j’ai eu une indigestion.
I had eaten quickly and had indigestion.
All other adverbs are placed before the past participle.
Il avait tant crié au concert qu’il a perdu sa voix.
He screamed so much at the concert that he lost his voice.
Tu avais certainement rencontré Tonton Henri pendant nos vacances en Normandie.
You had certainly met Uncle Henry during our vacations in Normandy.
In the pluperfect, all pronouns, including object pronouns (both direct and indirect) and reflexive pronouns, are placed before the auxiliary.
Il lui avait préparé une fête d’anniversaire surprise ! Tout le monde s'était déguisé. Elle l’avait vivement remercié.
He had prepared a surprise birthday party for her! Everyone dressed up. She thanked him warmly.
To use a negative expression expression (ne…pas(not), ne…jamais(never), etc.) with the pluperfect, simply put the negation expression around the auxiliary verb, like a sandwich 🥪: the auxiliary verb is the ham, and the negative terms are the slices of bread!
Isabelle n’avait pas encore vu le chirurgien.
Isabelle hadn’t seen the surgeon.
The plus-que-parfait is often used alongside the adverbs déjà(already) in an affirmativeNo definition set for affirmativeLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. sentence or encore in a negative sentence.
When they do not represent the subject, the second part of the expressions ne…personne(no one), ne…aucun(nothing), and ne…nulle part(never) will come after the past participle, instead of after the auxiliary verb, but ne will still precede the auxiliary!
On n’avait rencontré personne avant vous !
We hadn’t met anyone before you!
Now we’ve seen how to form the plus-que-parfait, along with how to use it with adverbs, pronouns, and negation. But, when do you use the pluperfect tense in French? Keep reading!
Use the plus-que-parfait to discuss past events that happened at a point in time before another past action. Take a look at this timeline to see where the events in the pluperfect are in relation to other past events and the present moment:
The most common instances in which you’ll use the plus-que-parfait are to describe an event that already happened (either in combination with other past tenses or alone), to form a hypothesis with si, or to use indirect reported speech. Let’s take a look at each!
You will mostly use the pluperfect to describe what had already happened before another past event took place. To do this, the most distant past event is conjugated in the pluperfect, and the more recent past event is either in the imperfect or in the perfect tense.
Quand on est arrivés, le spectacle d’ombres chinoises avait déjà commencé.
When we arrived, the shadow puppet show had already started.
Here is an example with the imperfect tense used in conjunction with the pluperfect:
Elle était en colère parce qu’elle n’avait pas été invitée au mariage de sa nièce.
She was angry because she had not been invited to her niece's wedding.
You can also use other sorts of phrases to describe the more recent past event, not just a verb in passé composé or imparfait. For example, you can use:
avant de + infinitive
Vous aviez signé le document avant de l’envoyer ?
Had you signed the document before sending it?
avant que + subjunctive
Ils avaient vécu à Paris avant que Romain ne soit muté en Vendée.
They had lived in Paris before Romain was transferred to the Vendée region.
avant+ noun
Elle avait travaillé à l’étranger avant la naissance de sa fille.
She had worked abroad before the birth of her daughter.
Test your skills with our French pluperfect exercises, or carry on to find out more interesting uses of the pluperfect.
The pluperfect can also be used on its own, without another past tense. Check out this example:
Je n’y avais pas pensé (avant) !
I hadn’t thought of that (before)!
When you use the pluperfect on its own (i.e. without making explicit reference to another past event) the other action will be implied by the context of the conversation. In the example above, you would know from the conversation that the person is thinking of a particular past time before which they should have thought about something — and the time expression avant is optional.
Here are some common situations in which you can use the pluperfect on its own:
to express an action that is finished:
À 1h30 du matin, tous les invités étaient partis.
At 1:30 am, all the guests had left.
to express a regret:
Si seulement vous m’en aviez parlé !
If only you had told me about it!
to make a criticism:
Si seulement tu avais suivi les instructions !
If only you had followed the instructions!
to make a polite request:
On était venus pour vous demander un service.
We had come to ask you a favor.
The pluperfect can be used with si clauses in French. To express a wish about the past or to make a hypothesis about the past, you can use si + pluperfect on its own, or follow it with a second clause in the past conditional:
Si seulement ils étaient venus plus tôt !
If only they had come early!
Si vous n’étiez pas tombé en panne, vous n’auriez pas raté votre vol !
If you hadn't broken down, you wouldn't have missed your flight!
Use the pluperfect to indirectly report something that someone originally said in the passé composé.
Direct speech (passé composé) | Indirect speech (plus-que-parfait) |
|---|---|
Juliette dit : « On a eu une urgence à l’hôpital et je suis rentrée très tard. » Juliette said, "We had an emergency at the hospital and I got home very late." | Juliette a dit qu’ils avaient eu une urgence à l'hôpital et qu’elle était rentrée très tard. Juliette said that they had had an emergency at the hospital and she had gotten home very late. |
When using the pluperfect in French, remember that…
The pluperfect is formed with the auxiliary avoir(to have) or être(to be) conjugated in the imperfect, followed by a past participle.
If you use the auxiliary être, the past participle must agree with the subject. There is no agreement of the past participle with the auxiliary avoir, unless the direct object is placed before the verb.
Longer adverbs go after the past participle.
Shorter adverbs go before the past participle.
Pronouns (direct objects, indirect objects, reflexive) go before the auxiliary.
Using the pluperfect in a negative statement? It goes: ne + auxiliary + pas + past participle.
It’s very common to use the pluperfect alongside another past tense to describe two past actions.
It is key to keep in mind that the oldest of the two actions is conjugated in the pluperfect, and the most recent action is conjugated in another past tense such as the perfect tense or the imperfect.
The pluperfect can also be used on its own, with the other most recent action implied by the context.
In a si clause, it allows you to make a wish about the past.
Finally, you should use it to report speech told in the perfect tense.
I now invite you to read the recap below, and head to our fun French pluperfect activities to practice your newly learned skills!
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