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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb atteler

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The English translation of atteler is “to harness” or “to hitch.” It is pronounced ah-teh-leh.

The origin of the word atteler comes from the Latin word “aptare” meaning “to fit,” and it entered the French language in the 12th century. In everyday French, it is most often used as a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object to complete its action. In the Plus-que-parfait tense, it is used to express an action that was completed in the past before another action took place.

Three simple examples of its usage in this tense are:

  1. Nous avions attelé les chevaux avant de partir en promenade. (We had harnessed the horses before going on a walk.)
  2. Elle avait attelé la remorque à la voiture avant de déménager. (She had hitched the trailer to the car before moving.)
  3. J’avais attelé le bateau au quai avant de sortir les cannes à pêche. (I had docked the boat before taking out the fishing rods.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais attaché J’avais attaché le cheval. I had harnessed the horse.
tu tu avais attaché Tu avais attaché la carriole. You had attached the cart.
il il avait attaché Il avait attaché les rênes. He had attached the reins.
elle elle avait attaché Elle avait attaché le cheval. She had attached the horse.
on on avait attaché On avait attaché la charrette. One had attached the carriage.
nous nous avions attaché Nous avions attaché le cabriolet. We had attached the cabriolet.
vous vous aviez attaché Vous aviez attaché le cheval de trait. You had attached the draft horse.
ils ils avaient attaché Ils avaient attaché le chariot. They had attached the cart.
elles elles avaient attaché Elles avaient attaché la charrette. They had attached the carriage.

Other Conjugations for Atteler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb atteler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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