Other tenses 1 The pluperfect 1.1 Formation The pluperfect is formed by using the
imperfect
of avoir
or être with the
past participle
:
La fois précédente je l'avais rencontrée
ailleurs
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The time before I had met her somewhere else
Avant de la revoir je m'étais demandé
si ce que je faisais était prudent
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Before seeing her again I had asked myself if I was doing
the right thing
Si nous étions arrivés plus tôt nous aurions eu de meilleures places.
If we’d arrived earlier we’d have got better seats.
S’il avait eu plus de diplômes il aurait eu la place.
If he’d had better qualifications he would have got the job.
Les réformes que le maire avait demandées étaient nécessaires.
The reforms that the mayor had asked for were necessary.
Elle nous a demandé si nous avions vu son chat.
She asked us if we had seen her cat.
Si j’ avais été moins pressé je n’aurais pas oublié mes lunettes.
If I hadn’t been in such a hurry I wouldn’t have forgotten my glasses.
1.2 Use of the pluperfect The pluperfect is used when describing something that happened prior
to an event that is itself in the past:
Avant de partir, il lui avait demandé
de téléphoner au garage
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Before he went out, he had asked him / her to phone the
garage
Je lui avais déjà dit
d'apporter le livre en cours
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I had already told him / her to bring the book to the class
Si nous étions arrivés plus tôt nous aurions eu de meilleures places.
If we’d arrived earlier we’d have got better seats.
S’il avait eu plus de diplômes il aurait eu la place.
If he’d had better qualifications he would have got the job.
Les réformes que le maire avait demandées étaient nécessaires.
The reforms that the mayor had asked for were necessary.
Elle nous a demandé si nous avions vu son chat.
She asked us if we had seen her cat.
Si j’ avais été moins pressé je n’aurais pas oublié mes lunettes.
If I hadn’t been in such a hurry I wouldn’t have forgotten my glasses.
The pluperfect is also used in
conditional
sentences using si :
Si j'avais su , je serais venu
plus tôt
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If I had known, I would have come sooner
Vous auriez été promu si vous aviez
accepté de travailler à l'étranger
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You would have been promoted if you had agreed to work abroad
2 The past historic 2.1 DefinitionLike the
perfect
, the past historic is used to describe something that
has been completed. It is generally only used in written narratives such
as novels, biographies and so on, or in formal articles and speeches.
It is not used in conversation or dialogue .
2.2 Regular formationFor regular verbs the past historic is formed
as follows:
Table 13.1b Past historic of first group (-er verbs) pronoun aimer
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finir
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rendre
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je aimai finis rendis tu aimas finis rendis il / elle aima finit rendit nous aimâmes finîmes rendîmes vous aimâtes finîtes rendîmes ils / elles aimèrent finirent rendirent
Il finit l'oeuvre en 1887
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He finished the work in 1887
Ils répondirent aux questions
des journalistes
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They replied to the journalists' questions
Les Alliées débarquèrent en
juin 1944
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The Allies landed in June 1944
Nous finîmes notre lune de miel à Rome.
We completed our honeymoon in Rome.
Les médecins donnèrent des avis différents quant à la cause de sa maladie.
The doctors gave different opinions as to the cause of his disease.
Il donna son premier récital alors qu’il n’avait que six ans.
He gave his first recital when he was only six years old.
Ce jour-là ils dînèrent au restaurant.
That day they dined in a restaurant.
Ils refusèrent de suivre les conseils des leurs parents.
They refused to follow the advice of their parents.
2.3 Irregular formationSome
irregular
conjugations:
Table 13.2.2b Past historic of third-group verbs infinitive past historic (je form) avoir
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eus être
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fus croire
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crus écrire
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écrivis faire
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fis falloir il fallut lire
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lus mettre
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mis pouvoir
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pus prendre
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pris venir
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vins vivre
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vécus voir
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vis vouloir
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voulus
Tout d'un coup il y eut un
moment de grande confusion
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Suddenly there was a moment of great confusion
De Gaulle fut Président de
la République de 1958 à 1969
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De Gaulle was French President from 1958 à 1969
Mozart mourut en 1791
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Mozart died in 1791
Elle ne crut pas nécessaire de l’informer de ce problème.
She didn’t deem it necessary to inform him of this problem.
Ces deux grands compositeurs naquirent la même année.
These two great composers were born in the same year.
Elle ouvrit les portes du palais au grand public.
She opened the doors of the palace to the general public.
Nous voulûmes les aider à faire face à leurs difficultés financières.
We wanted to help them face their financial difficulties.
Elle fit comme si elle ne me voyait pas.
She made as if she couldn’t see me.
