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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb aligner

Get the Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) tense conjugation of aligner. 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!

English translation: The English translation of the French verb aligner is “to align.” The infinitive form is pronounced “ah-lee-nyay.”

Language origin: The word “aligner” comes from the Latin word “alignare,” which means “to make straight.” It entered the French language in the 17th century.

Everyday usage: The verb “aligner” is most often used in everyday French to describe the action of arranging or straightening objects in a line or row.

Examples in Plus-que-parfait tense:

  1. J’avais aligné les livres sur l’étagère avant que les invités n’arrivent. (I had aligned the books on the shelf before the guests arrived.)
  2. Tu avais aligné les stylos sur le bureau pour qu’ils soient plus faciles à trouver. (You had aligned the pens on the desk so they would be easier to find.)
  3. Elle avait aligné les verres sur la table avant que le dîner ne commence. (She had aligned the glasses on the table before dinner started.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais aligné J’avais aligné les livres sur l’étagère. I had aligned the books on the shelf.
tu tu avais aligné Tu avais aligné les chaises autour de la table. You had aligned the chairs around the table.
il il avait aligné Il avait aligné les papiers dans le dossier. He had aligned the papers in the folder.
elle elle avait aligné Elle avait aligné les photos sur le mur. She had aligned the photos on the wall.
on on avait aligné On avait aligné les verres sur la table. One had aligned the glasses on the table.
nous nous avions aligné Nous avions aligné les voitures dans le parking. We had aligned the cars in the parking lot.
vous vous aviez aligné Vous aviez aligné les chambres du puzzle. You had aligned the pieces of the puzzle.
ils ils avaient aligné Ils avaient aligné les arbres le long de l’allée. They had aligned the trees along the driveway.
elles elles avaient aligné Elles avaient aligné les tasses sur l’étagère. They had aligned the cups on the shelf.

Other Conjugations for Aligner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb aligner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Aligner – 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 aligner. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

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