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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb combler

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The English translation of the French verb combler is “to fill” or “to fulfill.” It is pronounced “kawm-blay.”

The word combler comes from the Latin word “cumulus” meaning “heap” or “pile.” In everyday French, it is most often used in its reflexive form se combler, meaning “to be filled” or “to be fulfilled.”

In the Plus-que-parfait tense, combler is used to indicate an action or event that was completed before another past action or event. It is formed by conjugating the auxiliary verb avoir in the Imparfait tense and adding the past participle comblé.

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

  1. J’avais comblé toutes ses attentes avant qu’il ne parte en vacances. (I had fulfilled all his expectations before he went on vacation.)

  2. Tu t’étais comblé de bonheur avant que la maladie ne t’atteigne. (You had been filled with happiness before the illness struck you.)

  3. Ils s’étaient comblés de cadeaux avant que la crise économique ne frappe leur entreprise. (They had been showered with gifts before the economic crisis hit their company.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais comblé J’avais comblé le fossé. I had filled the gap.
tu tu avais comblé Tu avais comblé le vide. You had filled the void.
il il avait comblé Il avait comblé le trou. He had filled the hole.
elle elle avait comblé Elle avait comblé le manque. She had filled the emptiness.
on on avait comblé On avait comblé le silence. One had filled the silence.
nous nous avions comblé Nous avions comblé le creux. We had filled the hollow.
vous vous aviez comblé Vous aviez comblé le fossé. You had filled the gap.
ils ils avaient comblé Ils avaient comblé le vide. They had filled the void.
elles elles avaient comblé Elles avaient comblé le trou. They had filled the hole.

Other Conjugations for Combler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb combler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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