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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cambrioler

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The English translation of the French verb cambrioler is “to burgle” or “to break into.” The infinitive form, cambrioler, is pronounced as “kahn-bree-oh-leh.”

The word cambrioler comes from the French noun “cambrioleur,” meaning “burglar.” It is derived from the word “cambre,” which refers to a room or chamber, and the suffix “-oleur,” which indicates a person who does something. Therefore, cambrioler literally means “to enter a room.”

In everyday French, cambrioler 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 was completed before another action in the past. For example:

  1. J’avais cambriolé la maison avant que la police n’arrive. (I had burgled the house before the police arrived.)
  2. Ils avaient cambriolé le magasin avant de s’échapper avec l’argent. (They had broken into the store before escaping with the money.)
  3. Elle avait cambriolé plusieurs maisons avant d’être arrêtée. (She had burgled several houses before being arrested.)

In these examples, the verb cambrioler is conjugated in the Plus-que-parfait tense, with the auxiliary verb “avoir” (had) and the past participle “cambriolé.”

Overall, cambrioler is a common and versatile verb in French, often used to describe illegal or unlawful acts of breaking and entering. It can also be used in a more figurative sense, such as “to steal” or “to take without permission.”

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais cambriolé J’avais cambriolé la banque. I had robbed the bank.
tu tu avais cambriolé Tu avais cambriolé la bijouterie. You had robbed the jewelry store.
il il avait cambriolé Il avait cambriolé la maison. He had robbed the house.
elle elle avait cambriolé Elle avait cambriolé le magasin. She had robbed the store.
on on avait cambriolé On avait cambriolé le musée. One had robbed the museum.
nous nous avions cambriolé Nous avions cambriolé l’appartement. We had robbed the apartment.
vous vous aviez cambriolé Vous aviez cambriolé la galerie. You had robbed the gallery.
ils ils avaient cambriolé Ils avaient cambriolé l’immeuble. They had robbed the building.
elles elles avaient cambriolé Elles avaient cambriolé le supermarché. They had robbed the supermarket.

Other Conjugations for Cambrioler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cambrioler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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