11.8.1
The Pluperfect Tense with 'Avoir'
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Regular ER Verbs in the Pluperfect Tense
The pluperfect tense translates as 'I had done something'. It's formed using the imperfect of 'avoir' and then a past participle. With 'avoir', the past participle only agrees if there's a direct object. Here's the example with 'parler':

Tu avais parlé - you had spoken
- 'Tu' means 'you' (singular).

Vous aviez parlé - you had spoken
- 'Vous' means:
- You (plural).
- You (singular, formal).
Regular IR Verbs in the Pluperfect Tense
The pluperfect tense translates as 'I had done something'. It's formed using the imperfect of 'avoir' and then a past participle. With 'avoir', the past participle only agrees if there's a direct object. Here's the example with 'finir':

Tu avais fini - you had finished
- 'Tu' means 'you' (singular).

Vous aviez fini - you had finished
- 'Vous' means:
- You (plural).
- You (singular, formal).
Regular RE Verbs in the Pluperfect Tense
The pluperfect tense translates as 'I had done something'. It's formed using the imperfect of 'avoir' and then a past participle. With 'avoir', the past participle only agrees if there's a direct object. Here's the example with 'vendre':

Tu avais vendu - you had sold
- 'Tu' means 'you' (singular).

Vous aviez vendu - you had sold
- 'Vous' means:
- You (plural).
- You (singular, formal).
1The Changing Nature of Family
1.1Soucis et problèmes de famille
1.2Monoparentalité, homoparentalité etc
2The 'cyber-society'
2.1Qui sont les cybernautes ?
2.2Comment la technologie facilite la vie quotidienne
3The Place of Voluntary Work
3.1Qui sont et que font les bénévoles ?
3.2La valeur du bénévolat
4Diverse Society
4.1L'enrichissement dû à la mixité
4.2Tolérance et respect
5The Marginalised
5.1Qui ils sont
5.2Comment aider
6How Criminals Are Treated
6.1Quelles attitudes envers la criminalité ?
6.2La prison – échec ou succès ?
7A Culture Proud of its Heritage
7.1Le patrimoine - national, régional et local
7.2Comment le patrimoine reflète la culture
7.3Le patrimoine et le tourisme
8Cinema: the 7th Art Form
8.1Pourquoi le septième art?
8.2Le cinéma - une passion nationale ?
9Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power?
9.1Le pouvoir des syndicats
9.2Manifestations et grèves – sont-elles efficaces ?
10Politics & Immigration
10.1Politiques d'intégration et immigration
10.2L'immigration et les partis politiques
10.3L'engagement politique des immigrés
11Conjugation & Use of Tenses
11.1Present Tense
11.2Perfect Tense
11.3Imperfect Tense
11.4Future Tense
11.5Conditional Tense
11.6Future Perfect Tense
11.7Conditional Perfect Tense
12Extra Grammar
12.2Adjectives
12.3Numerals
12.4Adverbs
12.5Quantifiers & Intensifiers
12.6Pronouns
12.7Passive Voice
12.8Prepositions
12.9Conjunctions
12.10Negation
12.11Questions
Jump to other topics
1The Changing Nature of Family
1.1Soucis et problèmes de famille
1.2Monoparentalité, homoparentalité etc
2The 'cyber-society'
2.1Qui sont les cybernautes ?
2.2Comment la technologie facilite la vie quotidienne
3The Place of Voluntary Work
3.1Qui sont et que font les bénévoles ?
3.2La valeur du bénévolat
4Diverse Society
4.1L'enrichissement dû à la mixité
4.2Tolérance et respect
5The Marginalised
5.1Qui ils sont
5.2Comment aider
6How Criminals Are Treated
6.1Quelles attitudes envers la criminalité ?
6.2La prison – échec ou succès ?
7A Culture Proud of its Heritage
7.1Le patrimoine - national, régional et local
7.2Comment le patrimoine reflète la culture
7.3Le patrimoine et le tourisme
8Cinema: the 7th Art Form
8.1Pourquoi le septième art?
8.2Le cinéma - une passion nationale ?
9Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power?
9.1Le pouvoir des syndicats
9.2Manifestations et grèves – sont-elles efficaces ?
10Politics & Immigration
10.1Politiques d'intégration et immigration
10.2L'immigration et les partis politiques
10.3L'engagement politique des immigrés
11Conjugation & Use of Tenses
11.1Present Tense
11.2Perfect Tense
11.3Imperfect Tense
11.4Future Tense
11.5Conditional Tense
11.6Future Perfect Tense
11.7Conditional Perfect Tense
12Extra Grammar
12.2Adjectives
12.3Numerals
12.4Adverbs
12.5Quantifiers & Intensifiers
12.6Pronouns
12.7Passive Voice
12.8Prepositions
12.9Conjunctions
12.10Negation
12.11Questions
Practice questions on The Pluperfect Tense with 'Avoir'
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