Plus Que Parfait Flashcards
To form the plus-que-parfait we use Imparfait forms of avoir or Être + the past participle of the main verb (passé Composé style..)
Ex: he had always finished before the others.
He had always finished before the others.
Il AVAIT toujours FINI avant les autres.
To form the plus-que-parfait we use Imparfait forms of avoir or Être + the past participle of the main verb (passé Composé style..)
He had not been able to reach them.
Il n’avait pas pu les joindre.
The plus que parfait indicates a past action that happened before another past action. It’s the “past” past tense.
In English it =. “Had” done such and such
You had forgotten your best friends birthday.
Tu avais oublié l’anniversaire de ta meilleure amie.
To form the plus-que-parfait we use Imparfait forms of avoir or Être + the past participle of the main verb (passé Composé style..)
She had departed without leaving an address
Elle était partie sans laisser d’adresse.
She had explained the situation in detail.
Elle avait expliqué la situation en détail
They (f) had arrived late at the reception.
Elles étaient arrivé à la réception en retard
In The plus que parfait all pronominal verbs are conjugated with Être and agree in gender and number with subject.
Je m’étais évanoui dans la pharmacie.
I Had fainted in the pharmacy.
Nous nous étions embrassés sur le Pont-Neuf
We had kissed on the Pont-Neuf
He had remembered this incident before seeing his former girlfriend again.
Il s’était souvenu de cet incident avant de revoir son ancienne amie.
He had taken a capsule
Il avait pris une gélule
We had woken (ourselves up) at the dawn.
Nous nous étions réveillé(e)s à l’aube
You (tu) had asked yourself if he was allergic.
Tu t’était demandé(e) s’il était allergique.
He had remembered this man.
Il s’était souvenu de cet homme.
They (f) had written (to each other) for years.
Elles s’étaient écrites pendant des années.
Le plus-que-parfait is often combined with a dependent clause.
Je ne m’étais pas rendu compte que j’étais malade.
I had not realised I was sick.
She was hungary because she had not had time for lunch.
She was hungary because she had not had time for lunch.
Elle avait faim parce qu’elle n’avait pas eu le temps de déjeuner.
Il a refusé de prendre le médicament que le médecin avait prescrit.
He refused to take the medication the doctor had prescribed.
I didn’t know that Bertrum had invited all his family.
Je ne savais pas que Bertrum avait invité toute sa famille
He wanted to know if she had received her bouquet of flowers.
Il voulait savoir si elle avait reçu son bouquet de fleurs.
Il avait perdu son carnet d’adresse et il n’avait pas pu nous téléphoner
He had lost his address book and he was unable to call us
Il avait perdu son carnet d’adresse et il n’avait pas pu nous téléphoner
Si seulement is used with plus-que-parfait to express a wish or refer about past events.
Si seulement with Imfarfait = she were, they lived, you knew etc. (single past)
Si seulement with plus-que-parfait = if only she had gone, he had not failed, he had caught (double past)
Ex
Imparfait: Si seulement elle était à l’heure - il only she was on time.
Plus-que-parfait: Si seulement elle avait été à l’heure. - if only she had been on time.
Imparfait: if only he caught a cold.
Plus-que-parfait: if only he HAD CAUGHT a cold.
Imparfait: si seulement il attrapait un rhume
Plus-que-parfait: Si seulement il avait attrapé un rhume
If only he had gone to the doctors earlier
Si seulement il était allé chez le médecin plut tôt!
If only she had not failed her exam!
Si seulement elle n’avait pas raté son examen
If only you had been able to be with us.
Si seulement vous aviez pu être parmi nous.
