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

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

Last updated: 2022-05-19

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

After I had been able to buy a car, traveling to work was no longer an issue.

Of course, English speakers are likely to make contractions:

After I'd been able to buy a car, traveling to work was no longer an issue.

Learn how to conjugate pouvoir in Le Plus-que-Parfait in French

Je n'avais jamais pu parler correctement avant.I had never been able to speak properly before.

Tu avais pu leur dire au revoir avant qu'ils ne partent.You had been able to say goodbye to them before they left.

Il n'avait jamais pu lui avouer la vérité.He had never been able to tell her the truth.

Si nous avions pu, nous n'aurions jamais commencé.If we had been able to, we would have never started.
If we could have, we would have never started.

Vous aviez pu le voir une dernière fois.You had been able to see him one last time.

Ils n'avaient jamais pu l'admettre.They had never been able to admit it.

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

Verb avoir in the imperfect tense (L'Imparfait) + pu (past participle of pouvoir)

Reminder of how to conjugate avoir in L'Imparfait

j'avais

tu avais

il avait

nous avions

vous aviez

ils avaient

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