Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb ajuster

Get the Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) tense conjugation of ajuster. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb ajuster is “to adjust.” The infinitive form is pronounced “ah-zhoo-stay.”

Ajuster comes from the Old French word “ajustier,” which means “to adjust, to correct.” It has its roots in the Latin word “ad,” meaning “to” or “towards,” and “justus,” meaning “just” or “right.”

In everyday French, ajuster is commonly used in the plus-que-parfait tense, which is the equivalent of the past perfect tense in English. This tense is used to talk about actions that were completed before another past action.

Here are three simple examples of how ajuster is used in the plus-que-parfait tense, with their English translations:

  1. J’avais ajusté ma cravate avant de partir au travail. (I had adjusted my tie before leaving for work.)
  2. Elle avait ajusté ses lunettes pour mieux voir l’écran. (She had adjusted her glasses to see the screen better.)
  3. Ils avaient ajusté leur budget pour économiser de l’argent. (They had adjusted their budget to save money.)

Table of the Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of ajuster

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais ajusté J’avais ajusté mes lunettes. I had adjusted my glasses.
tu tu avais ajusté Tu avais ajusté ta cravate. You had adjusted your tie.
il il avait ajusté Il avait ajusté le thermostat. He had adjusted the thermostat.
elle elle avait ajusté Elle avait ajusté sa robe. She had adjusted her dress.
on on avait ajusté On avait ajusté la température. One had adjusted the temperature.
nous nous avions ajusté Nous avions ajusté nos bagages. We had adjusted our luggage.
vous vous aviez ajusté Vous aviez ajusté la selle. You had adjusted the saddle.
ils ils avaient ajusté Ils avaient ajusté la balance. They had adjusted the scale.
elles elles avaient ajusté Elles avaient ajusté leurs chapeaux. They had adjusted their hats.

Other Conjugations for Ajuster.

   
    Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster
   

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster
   

    Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster
   

    Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster
   

    Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster
   

    Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster
   

    Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster     (this article)

    Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster

    Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster

    Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster

    Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster
   

    Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster

    Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster
   

    Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster
   

    Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster

    L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster

    L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ajuster

    Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!
   

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the ajuster Plus-que-parfait tense conjugation!

Ajuster – About the French Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense

The French “plus-que-parfait” tense is a past tense used to express actions or events that occurred before another past action or event. It is often translated to English as the “pluperfect” tense. The name “plus-que-parfait” literally means “more than perfect,” indicating that it is a tense used to describe actions that were completed before a specific point in the past.
NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see my article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Tense Formation

To form the plus-que-parfait tense, you typically use the auxiliary verb “avoir” (to have) or “être” (to be) in the imperfect tense, followed by the past participle of the main verb. Here are the conjugations for both auxiliary verbs:
1. With “avoir” as the auxiliary verb:
   – J’avais mangé (I had eaten)
   – Tu avais parlé (You had spoken)
   – Il/elle/on avait fini (He/She/One had finished)
   – Nous avions lu (We had read)
   – Vous aviez choisi (You had chosen)
   – Ils/elles avaient joué (They had played)
2. With “être” as the auxiliary verb (usually for intransitive verbs or verbs indicating a state):
   – J’étais parti(e) (I had left)
   – Tu étais arrivé(e) (You had arrived)
   – Il/elle/on était tombé(e) (He/She/One had fallen)
   – Nous étions resté(e)s (We had stayed)
   – Vous étiez né(e)(s) (You had been born)
   – Ils/elles étaient monté(e)s (They had gone up)

Common everyday usage patterns

Sequencing of past events

The plus-que-parfait is used to express a past action that happened before another past action. For example, “J’avais mangé avant qu’il ne soit arrivé” (I had eaten before he arrived).

Background information

It is also used to provide background information or set the stage for a main past event. For instance, “Quand je suis arrivé, ils avaient déjà fini de manger” (When I arrived, they had already finished eating).

Hypothetical or reported speech

In indirect speech, the plus-que-parfait is used to report what someone had said or thought in the past. For example, “Il avait dit qu’il viendrait demain” (He had said that he would come tomorrow).

Interactions with other tenses

– The plus-que-parfait is often used in conjunction with the passé composé (simple past) to establish the sequence of past events. The passé composé describes the more recent action, while the plus-que-parfait describes the action that occurred earlier.
– It can also be used with the conditional mood to express a hypothetical past event, like “Si j’avais su, j’aurais agi différemment” (If I had known, I would have acted differently).
– When used in reported speech, it can be combined with the conditional mood or the imperfect subjunctive to reflect the original mood and tense of the reported statement.

Summary

The French plus-que-parfait tense is an essential part of the language for expressing past actions that occurred before other past actions, providing background information, and reporting past statements or thoughts. It is an integral component of constructing complex and accurate narratives in French.

I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb ajuster. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply