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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cameloter

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The English translation of the French verb cameloter is “to peddle” or “to sell cheap goods”. It is pronounced “kahm-leuh-toh”.

The language origin of cameloter comes from the word “camelot”, which refers to a type of cheap and low-quality fabric. In the past, camelotiers were itinerant merchants who sold these fabrics and other cheap goods in the streets.

In everyday French, cameloter is often used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the past perfect tense in English. This tense is used to express an action that was completed before another past action.

Three simple examples of cameloter in the Plus-que-parfait tense are:

  1. J’avais cameloté toute la journée avant de trouver un acheteur pour mes vieux vêtements. (I had peddled all day before finding a buyer for my old clothes.)

  2. Tu avais cameloté dans les rues de Paris avant de t’installer comme commerçant. (You had sold goods in the streets of Paris before setting up as a merchant.)

  3. Ils avaient cameloté sur les marchés en vendant des jouets bon marché. (They had peddled in markets selling cheap toys.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais cameloté J’avais cameloté sur le marché. I had sold goods on the market.
tu tu avais cameloté Tu avais cameloté avec ton stand. You had sold goods with your stand.
il il avait cameloté Il avait cameloté des souvenirs. He had sold souvenirs.
elle elle avait cameloté Elle avait cameloté des bijoux. She had sold jewelry.
on on avait cameloté On avait cameloté des produits artisanaux. One had sold artisanal products.
nous nous avions cameloté Nous avions cameloté toute la journée. We had sold goods all day.
vous vous aviez cameloté Vous aviez cameloté à la foire. You had sold goods at the fair.
ils ils avaient cameloté Ils avaient cameloté des articles ménagers. They had sold household items.
elles elles avaient cameloté Elles avaient cameloté des vêtements. They had sold clothes.

Other Conjugations for Cameloter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cameloter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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