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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb compasser

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The English translation of the French verb compasser is “to compass” or “to measure with a compass.” It is pronounced as “kom-pah-seh” in the infinitive form.

The word compasser comes from the Latin word “compāssus,” which means “a circle or a compass.” It was originally used in the sense of drawing circles or making measurements using a compass, but it has evolved to also mean planning or organizing something.

In everyday French, compasser is most often used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the past perfect tense. This tense is used to indicate an action that was completed in the past before another action took place.

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

  1. J’avais compassé le trajet avant de partir. (I had planned the route before leaving.)
  2. Tu avais compassé tous les détails du projet. (You had organized all the details of the project.)
  3. Ils avaient compassé leur voyage depuis plusieurs mois. (They had planned their trip for several months.)

In all of these examples, the action of compasser (planning, organizing, or measuring) was completed before another action took place. It is often used with time expressions such as “avant” (before) or “depuis” (since).

Overall, compasser is a versatile verb that is used in various contexts in French, from literal measurements to more abstract planning or organizing. In its Plus-que-parfait tense, it is used to indicate a completed action in the past.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais compassé J’avais compassé la ligne. I had measured the line.
tu tu avais compassé Tu avais compassé le dessin. You had measured the drawing.
il il avait compassé Il avait compassé le cercle. He had measured the circle.
elle elle avait compassé Elle avait compassé la figure. She had measured the figure.
on on avait compassé On avait compassé la courbe. One had measured the curve.
nous nous avions compassé Nous avions compassé le carré. We had measured the square.
vous vous aviez compassé Vous aviez compassé le triangle. You had measured the triangle.
ils ils avaient compassé Ils avaient compassé le rectangle. They had measured the rectangle.
elles elles avaient compassé Elles avaient compassé le parallélogramme. They had measured the parallelogram.

Other Conjugations for Compasser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb compasser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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