Conjugate devoir in the pluperfect tense in French (Le Plus-que-Parfait)

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

Last updated: 2022-10-04

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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":

Already I had had to do it three times when she asked for another revision.

Of course, English speakers are likely to make contractions:

Already I'd had to do it three times when she asked for another revision.

Learn how to conjugate devoir in Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) in French

J'avais dû en racheter un nouveau après que Patrick avait cassé le mien.I'd had to buy a new one after Patrick had broken mine.

Tu avais dû le licencier finalement.You'd had to let him go in the end.

Si elle avait dû le faire, vous auriez eu des problèmes.If she'd had to do it, you would have been in trouble.

Nous avions dû nettoyer la maison avant que mes parents ne vissent le désordre.We'd had to clean the house before my parents saw the mess.

Si vous aviez dû, l'auriez-vous fait ?If you'd had to, would you have done it?

Elles avaient dû repasser l'examen, après qu'elles avaient échoué les trois premières fois!They'd had to take the exam again, after they'd failed the first three times!

Note that devoir in the French pluperfect (Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif)) follows this construction:

Verb avoir in the imperfect tense (L'Imparfait (Indicatif)) + dû (past participle of devoir)

Reminder of how to conjugate avoir in L'Imparfait (Indicatif)

j'avais

tu avais

il avait

nous avions

vous aviez

ils avaient

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Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif)

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