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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bibeloter

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The English translation of the French verb bibeloter is “to trifle” or “to collect bric-a-brac.” It is pronounced as “bee-buh-loh-tay.”

The word bibeloter comes from the French word “bibelot,” meaning a small decorative object or trinket. It is most often used in every day French in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the past perfect tense used to indicate an action that was completed before another past action.

Here are three simple examples of bibeloter used in the Plus-que-parfait tense with their respective English translations:

  1. J’avais bibeloté toute la journée avant de me rendre compte que je devais travailler. (I had been trifling all day before realizing I had to work.)

  2. Avant qu’il ne déménage, il avait bibeloté tous ses souvenirs dans des boîtes. (Before he moved, he had collected all his memories in boxes.)

  3. Nous avions bibeloté pendant des heures avant de trouver le cadeau parfait pour notre ami. (We had been searching for the perfect gift for our friend for hours before we finally found it.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais bibeloté J’avais bibeloté toute la journée. I had collected knick-knacks all day.
tu tu avais bibeloté Tu avais bibeloté avec moi. You had collected knick-knacks with me.
il il avait bibeloté Il avait bibeloté dans la boutique. He had collected knick-knacks in the shop.
elle elle avait bibeloté Elle avait bibeloté sur l’étagère. She had collected knick-knacks on the shelf.
on on avait bibeloté On avait bibeloté à la brocante. One had collected knick-knacks at the flea market.
nous nous avions bibeloté Nous avions bibeloté ensemble. We had collected knick-knacks together.
vous vous aviez bibeloté Vous aviez bibeloté de manière obsessive. You had collected knick-knacks obsessively.
ils ils avaient bibeloté Ils avaient bibeloté pour décorer leur maison. They had collected knick-knacks to decorate their house.
elles elles avaient bibeloté Elles avaient bibeloté à travers le monde. They had collected knick-knacks from around the world.

Other Conjugations for Bibeloter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bibeloter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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