Module 13- L’amour et l’argent
Troisième Partie: L’amour et l’amitié, la grammaire
In this section:
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Plus-que-parfait
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Si clauses + PQP
Plus-que-parfait
formation
The pluperfect (le plus-que-parfait) is formed with the auxiliary in the imparfait followed by the past participle of the verb. The choice of auxiliary, être or avoir, is the same as for the passé composé (the maison d’être applies).
Plus-que-parfait = auxiliary in the imparfait + past participle of verb
| manger ‘to eat’ | |
| j’avais mangé, I had eaten | nous avions mangé, we had eaten |
| tu avais mangé, you had eaten | vous aviez mangé, you had eaten |
| il, elle, iel / on avait mangé, he, she (it) / one had eaten | ils / elles / iels avaient mangé, they had eaten |
The negation is formed in the usual manner by placing ne … pas around the conjugated verb, which in this case is the auxiliary: Je n’avais pas mangé (I had not eaten), Je n’étais pas allé (I had not gone), etc.
uses
In past narration, the plus-que-parfait is used to express an action which precedes another past action or moment. In other words, the action in the plus-que-parfait is prior to another past action or moment. In English the plus-que-parfait is indicated by had + past participle. In affirmative sentences in French, it is often, but not always, accompanied by the adverb déjà (already).
| Clémentine est rentrée chez elle à 6h00 après qu’elle avait travaillé pendant toute la nuit. | Clementine returned home at 6 a.m. after she had worked all night long. | |
| Rowan avait déjà écrit une liste pour faire les courses. | Rowan had already created a list for grocery shopping. | |
| J’ai bu le café que tu m’avais acheté. | I drank the coffee that you had bought me. |
Not all instances of had + past participle in English are translated into plus-que-parfait in French. For example, in French depuis is usually used with the imperfect (not the pluperfect) and ‘had just done something’ is generally translated by venir de in the imparfait.
| Le prof de français attendait depuis des journées l’essai de Louis quand il a enfin retrouvé son inspiration. | The French teacher had been waiting for days for Louis’ essay when at last he found his inspiration. | |
| En fait, Alex venait de commencer ses devoirs quand ses amis ont téléphoné. | In fact, Alex had just started his homework when his friends called. |
Contrast the plus-que-parfait in this sentence with the examples above:
| Louis avait (déjà) commencé ses devoirs quand ses amis ont téléphoné. | Louis had begun his homework when his friends called. |
Remember that the opposite of déjà is the negative expression pas encore, just as ‘already’ is replaced by ‘yet’ in English.
| Louis n’avait pas (encore) fini ses amis ont téléphoné. | Louis had not (yet) finished his homework when his friends called. |
In French and in English alike, the plus-que-parfait is also used to express wishes about the past, as in this example:
| Amis de Louis: Si seulement tu avais fini tes devoirs! | Friends of Louis: If only you had finished your homework! (but you haven’t) |
The plus-que-parfait is also commonly used in si clauses followed by the past conditional. For example:
| Louis à ses amis: Si vous ne m’aviez pas interrompu, j’aurais pu finir mes devoirs ! | Louis to his friends: If you had not interrupted me, I would have been able to finish my homework! | |
| Ami: Si j’avais su que tu étais méchant, j’aurais téléphoné Alex! | Friend: If I had known how mean you were, I would have called Alex! |
Si clauses + PQP
si + pluperfect (plus-que-parfait)
| si (if) clause | result clause |
| si + pluperfect (contrary to past facts) |
past conditional |
This last type of si clause is used for situations that are contrary to past fact. The result clause thus expresses an unrealized past possibility.
| Clémentine: Qu’est-ce que vous auriez fait, si vous n’étiez pas allé à BSU? | Clémentine: What would you have done, if you hadn’t gone to BSU? | |
| Alex: Si je n’étais pas allé à BSU, je serais allé à University of Idaho. | Alex: If I hadn’t gone to BSU, I would have gone to Univeristy of Idaho. | |
| Clémentine: Si vous n’aviez pas connu Buster, qu’est-ce que vous auriez fait? | Clémentine: If you hadn’t met Buster, what would you have done? | |
| Louis: J’aurais vécu sans un ami incroyable! Quelle drôle d’idée ! | Louis: I would have lived without an incredible friend! What a strange thought! |
Distinguish between si clauses (if-clauses) and questions that are reported in indirect speech. Observe the difference between these two sentences:
| Question in indirect speech | Manon demande si Marie est prête. | Manon is asking if Marie is ready. | ||
| Si clause | Manon: Marie, si tu es prête, on peut partir tout de suite. | Manon: Marie, if you are ready, we can leave right now. |
