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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb cuisiner

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The English translation of the French verb cuisiner is “to cook.” The infinitive form, cuisiner, is pronounced as “kwee-zee-nay.”

The word cuisiner comes from the Latin word coquere, meaning “to cook.” It entered the French language in the 12th century and has been used in everyday speech since then. In the Plus-que-parfait tense, which translates to the past perfect tense in English, cuisiner is used to describe an action that was completed before another past action or event.

Here are three examples of how cuisiner is used in the Plus-que-parfait tense in everyday French:

  1. J’avais cuisiné le dîner avant que mes invités n’arrivent. (I had cooked dinner before my guests arrived.)
  2. Tu avais cuisiné un délicieux gâteau avant que je ne te le demande. (You had cooked a delicious cake before I asked you to.)
  3. Ils avaient cuisiné toute la journée avant que leur famille n’arrive pour le repas de Noël. (They had cooked all day before their family arrived for the Christmas meal.)

In each of these examples, the action of cooking (cuisiner) was completed before another past action (arrival of guests, a request, or the arrival of family). The Plus-que-parfait tense is used to show the sequence of events in the past.

In everyday French, cuisiner is a common verb used in various contexts, from cooking at home to being a professional chef. It is also used in expressions such as “cuisiner un mensonge” (to cook up a lie) or “cuisiner quelqu’un” (to grill someone).

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais cuisiné J’avais cuisiné un plat délicieux. I had cooked a delicious dish.
tu tu avais cuisiné Tu avais cuisiné un repas pour tout le monde. You had cooked a meal for everyone.
il il avait cuisiné Il avait cuisiné des pâtes à la carbonara. He had cooked carbonara pasta.
elle elle avait cuisiné Elle avait cuisiné un gâteau pour l’anniversaire. She had baked a cake for the birthday.
on on avait cuisiné On avait cuisiné un ragoût pour le dîner. One had made a stew for dinner.
nous nous avions cuisiné Nous avions cuisiné ensemble pendant des heures. We had cooked together for hours.
vous vous aviez cuisiné Vous aviez cuisiné un repas spécial pour l’occasion. You had cooked a special meal for the occasion.
ils ils avaient cuisiné Ils avaient cuisiné des plats typiques de leur région. They had cooked typical dishes from their region.
elles elles avaient cuisiné Elles avaient cuisiné des desserts délicieux. They had made delicious desserts.

Other Conjugations for Cuisiner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb cuisiner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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