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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb assurer

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The English translation of the French verb assurer is “to assure” or “to ensure.” It is pronounced as “ah-sir-ay” in the infinitive form.

The origin of the word “assurer” can be traced back to the Latin word “assecūrāre” which means to make secure or safe. In everyday French, it is most often used in the Plus-que-parfait (pluperfect) tense, which is used to express an action that was completed before another past action. This tense is formed by using the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” in the Imparfait (imperfect) tense and adding the past participle of the verb.

Here are three simple examples of the usage of “assurer” in the Plus-que-parfait tense, along with their English translations:

  1. J’avais assuré mes parents que je serais rentré avant minuit. (I had assured my parents that I would be back before midnight.)

  2. Elle était sûre qu’elle avait assuré le succès de son projet. (She was sure that she had ensured the success of her project.)

  3. Nous avions assuré nos places dans le train avant de partir en vacances. (We had secured our seats on the train before leaving for vacation.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais assuré J’avais assuré ma sécurité. I had ensured my safety.
tu tu avais assuré Tu avais assuré ta réussite. You had assured your success.
il il avait assuré Il avait assuré son rôle. He had fulfilled his role.
elle elle avait assuré Elle avait assuré sa présence. She had ensured her presence.
on on avait assuré On avait assuré sa protection. One had ensured their protection.
nous nous avions assuré Nous avions assuré notre victoire. We had secured our victory.
vous vous aviez assuré Vous aviez assuré votre soutien. You had provided your support.
ils ils avaient assuré Ils avaient assuré leur succès. They had ensured their success.
elles elles avaient assuré Elles avaient assuré leur avenir. They had ensured their future.

Other Conjugations for Assurer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb assurer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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