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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb convoiter

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The English translation of the French verb convoiter is “to covet.” The infinitive form, convoiter, is pronounced “kohn-vwah-tay.”

The language origin of convoiter comes from the Old French word “convoitier,” which means “to desire, to covet.” It ultimately derives from the Latin word “concupiscere,” meaning “to long for, desire.”

In everyday French, convoiter is most often used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the past perfect tense in English. This tense is used to talk about an action that was completed before another past action. It is formed by using the imperfect tense of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” and the past participle of the main verb.

Here are 3 simple examples of its usage in the Plus-que-parfait tense:

  1. J’avais convoité ce poste depuis longtemps. (I had coveted this position for a long time.)
  2. Elle avait convoité sa voisine depuis des années. (She had coveted her neighbor for years.)
  3. Nous avions tous convoité cette maison magnifique. (We had all coveted this beautiful house.)

In these examples, the verb convoiter is used to express a strong desire or longing for something in the past. It is often used in a negative context, as coveting something can be seen as a negative emotion.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais convoité J’avais convoité le poste. I had coveted the position.
tu tu avais convoité Tu avais convoité le bijou. You had coveted the jewel.
il il avait convoité Il avait convoité la maison. He had coveted the house.
elle elle avait convoité Elle avait convoité le sac. She had coveted the bag.
on on avait convoité On avait convoité le pouvoir. One had coveted power.
nous nous avions convoité Nous avions convoité le trésor. We had coveted the treasure.
vous vous aviez convoité Vous aviez convoité la voiture. You had coveted the car.
ils ils avaient convoité Ils avaient convoité le poste. They had coveted the position.
elles elles avaient convoité Elles avaient convoité le collier. They had coveted the necklace.

Other Conjugations for Convoiter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb convoiter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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