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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb denteler

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The English translation of the French verb denteler is “to lace” or “to edge with lace.” The infinitive form is pronounced “dahn-tuh-lay.”

The word denteler is derived from the French word “dentelle,” which means “lace.” It comes from the Latin word “dentellum,” which means “small tooth” or “notch.” This refers to the delicate and intricate patterns often found in lace.

In everyday French, denteler is most often used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which corresponds to the past perfect tense in English. This tense is used to talk about an action that was completed before another past action.

Here are three simple examples of how denteler can be used in the Plus-que-parfait tense:

  1. J’avais dentelé le col de ma robe avant de la porter à la soirée. (I had edged the collar of my dress with lace before wearing it to the party.)

  2. Elle avait dentelé les rideaux de sa chambre à coucher elle-même. (She had laced the curtains in her bedroom herself.)

  3. Nous avions dentelé la nappe pour la grande occasion. (We had edged the tablecloth for the special occasion.)

In these examples, denteler is used to describe actions that were completed in the past before another past action. It adds a sense of completed and precise detail to the actions described.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais dentelé J’avais dentelé le tissu. I had lace-edged the fabric.
tu tu avais dentelé Tu avais dentelé la nappe. You had lace-edged the tablecloth.
il il avait dentelé Il avait dentelé la robe. He had lace-edged the dress.
elle elle avait dentelé Elle avait dentelé le rideau. She had lace-edged the curtain.
on on avait dentelé On avait dentelé le mouchoir. One had lace-edged the handkerchief.
nous nous avions dentelé Nous avions dentelé la taie d’oreiller. We had lace-edged the pillowcase.
vous vous aviez dentelé Vous aviez dentelé le napperon. You had lace-edged the doily.
ils ils avaient dentelé Ils avaient dentelé le tapis. They had lace-edged the rug.
elles elles avaient dentelé Elles avaient dentelé la serviette. They had lace-edged the towel.

Other Conjugations for Denteler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb denteler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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