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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb bouleverser

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The English translation of the French verb bouleverser is “to overturn” or “to upset.” The infinitive form, bouleverser, is pronounced as “boo-luh-vair-seh.”

The word bouleverser is derived from the combination of two French words: “boule” meaning “ball” and “verser” meaning “to pour.” It originated in the 16th century and has evolved to mean “to turn upside down” or “to cause disorder or confusion.”

In everyday French, bouleverser is commonly used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the past perfect tense in English. This tense is used to talk about an action that was completed before another action in the past. Here are three examples of its usage in this tense:

  1. J’avais bouleversé la pièce avant que mes parents reviennent. (I had overturned the room before my parents came back.)
  2. Elle était bouleversée quand elle a découvert la vérité. (She was upset when she discovered the truth.)
  3. Nous avions été bouleversés par la nouvelle du décès de notre grand-mère. (We had been devastated by the news of our grandmother’s death.)

In these examples, bouleverser is used to express a sudden and intense change or disruption. It is often used to describe emotional or physical upheaval. In the Plus-que-parfait tense, it emphasizes that the action was completed before another event in the past.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais bouleversé J’avais bouleversé mes plans. I had disrupted my plans.
tu tu avais bouleversé Tu avais bouleversé ton sac. You had rummaged through your bag.
il il avait bouleversé Il avait bouleversé la ville. He had upset the town.
elle elle avait bouleversé Elle avait bouleversé sa vie. She had turned her life upside down.
on on avait bouleversé On avait bouleversé le marché. One had shaken up the market.
nous nous avions bouleversé Nous avions bouleversé le paysage. We had transformed the landscape.
vous vous aviez bouleversé Vous aviez bouleversé le cours. You had disrupted the class.
ils ils avaient bouleversé Ils avaient bouleversé le projet. They had completely changed the project.
elles elles avaient bouleversé Elles avaient bouleversé l’entreprise. They had disrupted the company.

Other Conjugations for Bouleverser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb bouleverser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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