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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cloîtrer

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The English translation of the French verb cloîtrer is “to cloister” or “to seclude.” It is pronounced as “klu-a-tree” in its infinitive form.

The word cloîtrer comes from the Old French word “cloistre,” which means “monastery” or “enclosed place.” It is derived from the Latin word “claustrum,” meaning “barrier” or “enclosure.”

Cloîtrer is most often used in everyday French in the plus-que-parfait tense, which is the past perfect tense. This tense is used to describe an action that was completed before another past action. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” in the imperfect tense, followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Here are three simple examples of using cloîtrer in the plus-que-parfait tense, with their English translations:

  1. J’avais cloîtré mes enfants dans leur chambre avant de sortir pour la soirée. (I had cloistered my children in their room before going out for the evening.)
  2. Il avait cloîtré sa sœur pour l’empêcher de partir avec son petit ami. (He had secluded his sister to prevent her from leaving with her boyfriend.)
  3. Nous étions cloîtrés dans notre appartement pendant la quarantaine. (We were confined to our apartment during the quarantine.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais cloîtré J’avais cloîtré mon chien. I had confined my dog.
tu tu avais cloîtré Tu avais cloîtré le chat. You had confined the cat.
il il avait cloîtré Il avait cloîtré les poules. He had confined the chickens.
elle elle avait cloîtré Elle avait cloîtré les chiens. She had confined the dogs.
on on avait cloîtré On avait cloîtré les animaux. One had confined the animals.
nous nous avions cloîtré Nous avions cloîtré les vaches. We had confined the cows.
vous vous aviez cloîtré Vous aviez cloîtré les chevaux. You had confined the horses.
ils ils avaient cloîtré Ils avaient cloîtré les moutons. They had confined the sheep.
elles elles avaient cloîtré Elles avaient cloîtré les chèvres. They had confined the goats.

Other Conjugations for Cloîtrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cloîtrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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