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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb boucher

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The English translation of the French verb boucher is “to block” or “to plug.” It is pronounced as “boo-shay” in the infinitive form.

The word boucher comes from the Old French word “bouchier” which means “butcher.” However, its current meaning of “to block” or “to plug” originated from the use of a “bouchon” or cork to block a hole.

In everyday French, the verb boucher is most often used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the past perfect tense in English. This tense is used to describe an action that had already happened before another past action.

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

  1. J’avais bouché le trou avant qu’il ne pleuve. (I had plugged the hole before it rained.)
  2. Elle avait bouché ses oreilles pour ne pas entendre les bruits de la ville. (She had blocked her ears to not hear the noises of the city.)
  3. Nous avions bouché la bouteille de vin avec un bouchon en liège. (We had stopped up the wine bottle with a cork.)

In these examples, we can see how boucher is used to indicate a completed action that had happened before another past action. It is often used with the auxiliary verb “avoir” in the Plus-que-parfait tense.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais bouché J’avais bouché la bouteille. I had corked the bottle.
tu tu avais bouché Tu avais bouché le trou. You had plugged the hole.
il il avait bouché Il avait bouché le tuyau. He had blocked the pipe.
elle elle avait bouché Elle avait bouché la canalisation. She had clogged the drain.
on on avait bouché On avait bouché le passage. One had obstructed the passage.
nous nous avions bouché Nous avions bouché la fuite. We had sealed the leak.
vous vous aviez bouché Vous aviez bouché le trou. You had covered the hole.
ils ils avaient bouché Ils avaient bouché le puits. They had plugged the well.
elles elles avaient bouché Elles avaient bouché la cheminée. They had blocked the chimney.

Other Conjugations for Boucher.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb boucher
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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