The Past Perfect
The tense "plus-que-parfait" is used in French to describe
an action that developed in the past and which concluded some time
ago.
| J'avais mangé |
I had eaten |
| Nous étions venus(es) |
We had come |
This tense is used to describe an action in the past, which happened
before another action that also developed in teh past:
| Quand tu t'es levé, il
était parti |
When you got up, he had left. |
| Quand il est arrivé, nous avions fini |
When he arrived, we had finished.
|
This tense is formed by putting the auxiliary verb into the past
simple and then adding the past participle of the main verb.
You use the auxiliary verb "avoir", except when the main
verb is a verb of movement, in which case you use the auxiliary verb
"être".
| J' avais mangé |
J' étais venu |
étais |
venu(e) |
| Tu avais mangé |
Tu |
étais |
venu(e) |
| Il / elle avait mangé |
Il / elle |
était |
venu (e) |
| Nous avions mangé |
Nous |
étions |
venus(es) |
| Vous aviez mangé |
Vous |
étiez |
venus(es) |
| Ils / elles avaient mangé |
Ils / elles |
étaient |
venus (es) |
With the auxiliary verb "être" the subject and participle
agree in gender and number.
VOCABULARY
adjectifs qualificatifs
| Fun |
Amusant |
Irritable |
Irritable |
| Whimsical |
Capricieux |
Bragging |
Bravache |
| Unbearable |
Insupportable |
Good natured |
Bonasse |
| Malicious |
Malicieux |
Hot headed |
Exalté |
| Tired |
Fatigué |
Honest |
Honnête |
| Hard working |
Travailleur |
Envious |
Envieux |
| Lazy |
Paresseux |
Unhealthy |
Maladif |
| Greedy |
Glouton |
Healthy |
Sain |
| Sleepyhead |
Dormeur |
Crazy |
Fou |
| Depressed |
Déprimé |
Triumphant |
Triomphateur |
| Ironic |
Ironique |
Bad tempered |
De mauvaise humeur |
