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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb etirer

Get the Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) tense conjugation of etirer. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb etirer is “to stretch” or “to extend.” It is pronounced as “ay-tee-ray” in its infinitive form.

Etirer comes from the Latin word “tendere,” meaning “to stretch” or “to extend.” It entered the French language in the 12th century, and its usage has evolved over time. Today, it is mainly used in the context of physical stretching, but it can also refer to extending or prolonging something in a figurative sense.

In everyday French, the verb etirer is most commonly used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the past perfect tense in English. This tense is used to describe an action that was completed before another action or point in the past.

Three examples of etirer in the Plus-que-parfait tense are:

  1. J’avais étiré mes muscles avant de commencer mon entraînement. (I had stretched my muscles before starting my workout.)

  2. Il avait étiré sa main pour atteindre le livre sur l’étagère. (He had stretched his hand to reach the book on the shelf.)

  3. Nous avions étiré notre séjour de quelques jours de plus. (We had extended our stay for a few more days.)

In these examples, the verb etirer is used to describe an action that was completed before another action or point in the past. This tense is often used to add more detail or emphasis to a past event.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais étiré J’avais étiré mes muscles. I had stretched my muscles.
tu tu avais étiré Tu avais étiré le tissu. You had stretched the fabric.
il il avait étiré Il avait étiré sa jambe. He had stretched his leg.
elle elle avait étiré Elle avait étiré ses bras. She had stretched her arms.
on on avait étiré On avait étiré le matelas. One had stretched the mattress.
nous nous avions étiré Nous avions étiré le fil. We had stretched the thread.
vous vous aviez étiré Vous aviez étiré le tuyau. You had stretched the hose.
ils ils avaient étiré Ils avaient étiré leurs muscles. They had stretched their muscles.
elles elles avaient étiré Elles avaient étiré leurs jambes. They had stretched their legs.

Other Conjugations for Etirer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb etirer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the etirer Plus-que-parfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts