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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb différentier

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The English translation of the French verb différentier is “to differentiate.” It is pronounced as [dee-fay-rehn-syeh].

The verb différentier comes from the Latin word “differentiare,” which means “to make different.” It is most often used in everyday French to express the action of distinguishing or identifying the differences between two or more things.

In the Plus-que-parfait tense, différentier is conjugated as “avoir différentié.” Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, with their English translations:

  1. J’avais déjà différentié les deux espèces de poissons quand nous sommes arrivés au musée. (I had already differentiated the two species of fish when we arrived at the museum.)
  2. Tu avais bien différentié les marques de voitures, tu aurais su que celle-ci est un modèle plus récent. (If you had differentiated the car brands properly, you would have known that this one is a newer model.)
  3. Elle avait bien différentié les couleurs, donc elle a pu résoudre le puzzle rapidement. (She had differentiated the colors properly, so she was able to solve the puzzle quickly.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais différentié J’avais différentié les couleurs. I had differentiated the colors.
tu tu avais différentié Tu avais différentié les formes. You had differentiated the shapes.
il il avait différentié Il avait différentié les textures. He had differentiated the textures.
elle elle avait différentié Elle avait différentié les saveurs. She had differentiated the tastes.
on on avait différentié On avait différentié les odeurs. One had differentiated the smells.
nous nous avions différentié Nous avions différentié les styles. We had differentiated the styles.
vous vous aviez différentié Vous aviez différentié les sons. You had differentiated the sounds.
ils ils avaient différentié Ils avaient différentié les langues. They had differentiated the languages.
elles elles avaient différentié Elles avaient différentié les matières. They had differentiated the materials.

Other Conjugations for Différentier.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb différentier
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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