Conjugate regular -er, -ir, -dre verbs (+ avoir) in the pluperfect tense in French (Le Plus-que-Parfait)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE

Last updated: 2024-04-02

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Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) in French is the direct equivalent of the pluperfect in English. It could be described as "the past of the past":

After I had eaten my dinner, I went for a walk.

Of course, English speakers are likely to make contractions:

After I'd eaten my dinner, I went for a walk.

Learn how to conjugate regular -er, -ir and -dre verbs in Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) in French

J'avais mangé tous les biscuits, et il n'en restait aucun pour les invités !I had eaten all the biscuits, and there were none left for the guests!

Si nous l'avions choisi, nous l'aurions regretté.If we'd chosen him, we would have regretted it.

Après qu'elle lui avait avoué ce qu'elle ressentait, elle avait rougi.After she'd confessed to him how she felt, she'd blushed.

Vous aviez aimé ce concert.You had liked that concert.

Aviez-vous répondu à sa lettre à l'époque ?Had you answered her letter at the time?

Ils avaient tous entendu ce bruit.They had all heard this noise.

Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) follows this construction, which is similar to the pluperfect in English (had +-ed):

avoir in the imperfect tense (L'Imparfait (Indicatif)) + [past participle]

Reminder:
For -ER verbs, you form the past participle by replacing the -er ending with -é.

For -IR verbs, you form the past participle by replacing the -ir ending with -i.

For -RE verbs, you form the past participle by replacing the -dre ending with -du.

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Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif)

Examples and resources

aimer

Vous aviez aimé ce concert.You had liked that concert.

applaudir

Ce soir-là, ils avaient applaudi comme jamais auparavant.That evening, they'd applauded like never before.

choisir

Si nous l'avions choisi, nous l'aurions regretté.If we'd chosen him, we would have regretted it.

danser

Il avait danséHe had danced

écouter

Nous avions écoutéWe had listened

entendre

Ils avaient tous entendu ce bruit.They had all heard this noise.

jouer

Ils avaient joué toute la nuit.They had played all night.

manger