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

Introduction to the verb détoner

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The English translation of the French verb détoner is “to detonate.” It is pronounced as [de.tɔ.ne] in its infinitive form.

Détoner comes from the Latin word detonare, which means “to thunder.” It entered the French language in the 17th century and originally referred to the sound of thunder or a loud noise. Over time, it took on the meaning of an explosive sound or explosion.

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

Here are three simple examples of détoner used in the Plus-que-parfait tense with their English translations:

  1. J’avais détoné la bombe avant de partir. (I had detonated the bomb before leaving.)
  2. Tu avais détoné les pétards hier soir. (You had detonated the firecrackers last night.)
  3. Ils avaient détoné les explosifs à midi. (They had detonated the explosives at noon.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais détoné J’avais détoné le feu d’artifice. I had detonated the fireworks.
tu tu avais détoné Tu avais détoné la bombe. You had detonated the bomb.
il il avait détoné Il avait détoné la mine. He had detonated the mine.
elle elle avait détoné Elle avait détoné le pétard. She had detonated the firecracker.
on on avait détoné On avait détoné le canon. One had detonated the cannon.
nous nous avions détoné Nous avions détoné le fusil. We had detonated the gun.
vous vous aviez détoné Vous aviez détoné la grenade. You had detonated the grenade.
ils ils avaient détoné Ils avaient détoné les explosifs. They had detonated the explosives.
elles elles avaient détoné Elles avaient détoné le feu d’artifice. They had detonated the fireworks.

Other Conjugations for Détoner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb détoner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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