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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb camoufler

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The English translation of the French verb camoufler is “to camouflage.” It is pronounced “kah-moo-flay” in its infinitive form.

The word camoufler comes from the French word “camouflet,” meaning “puff of smoke.” It was originally used in the military to describe the act of hiding or disguising something, such as soldiers or equipment.

In everyday French, camoufler 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 past action.

Here are three simple examples of camoufler in the Plus-que-parfait tense:

  1. J’avais camouflé mes intentions avant de parler avec lui. (I had camouflaged my intentions before speaking with him.)
  2. Ils avaient camouflé leur voiture pour passer inaperçus. (They had camouflaged their car to go unnoticed.)
  3. Elle m’avait camouflé dans les buissons pour que je ne sois pas vu. (She had camouflaged me in the bushes so that I would not be seen.)

In each of these examples, the action of camoufler is completed before another past action. It is used to express something that was hidden or disguised in the past. In English, the verb “had” is used to indicate the past perfect tense.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais camouflé J’avais camouflé ma présence. I had camouflaged my presence.
tu tu avais camouflé Tu avais camouflé ton visage. You had camouflaged your face.
il il avait camouflé Il avait camouflé sa voiture. He had camouflaged his car.
elle elle avait camouflé Elle avait camouflé son sac. She had camouflaged her bag.
on on avait camouflé On avait camouflé nos armes. One had camouflaged our weapons.
nous nous avions camouflé Nous avions camouflé notre campement. We had camouflaged our campsite.
vous vous aviez camouflé Vous aviez camouflé vos intentions. You had camouflaged your intentions.
ils ils avaient camouflé Ils avaient camouflé leur position. They had camouflaged their position.
elles elles avaient camouflé Elles avaient camouflé leurs affaires. They had camouflaged their belongings.

Other Conjugations for Camoufler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb camoufler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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