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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb expérimenter

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The English translation of the French verb expérimenter is “to experiment.” It is pronounced as “ehks-peh-ree-mahn-tay.”

The word “expérimenter” comes from the Latin word “experiri,” meaning “to try.” It entered the French language in the 16th century and has since been used to refer to the act of conducting experiments or tests.

In everyday French, expérimenter is most often used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which expresses actions that were completed before another action in the past. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” in the imparfait tense, followed by the past participle of the verb.

Here are three examples of expérimenter in the Plus-que-parfait tense:

  1. J’avais expérimenté cette méthode avant de trouver celle qui fonctionnait. (I had experimented with this method before finding one that worked.)
  2. Elle avait expérimenté différentes recettes avant de trouver la meilleure. (She had tried different recipes before finding the best one.)
  3. Nous étions déjà partis en vacances ensemble et nous avions expérimenté des moments inoubliables. (We had already gone on vacation together and had experienced unforgettable moments.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais expérimenté J’avais expérimenté cette méthode. I had experimented with this method.
tu tu avais expérimenté Tu avais expérimenté cette technique. You had experimented with this technique.
il il avait expérimenté Il avait expérimenté cette recette. He had experimented with this recipe.
elle elle avait expérimenté Elle avait expérimenté cette méthode. She had experimented with this method.
on on avait expérimenté On avait expérimenté cette théorie. One had experimented with this theory.
nous nous avions expérimenté Nous avions expérimenté cette approche. We had experimented with this approach.
vous vous aviez expérimenté Vous aviez expérimenté cette idée. You had experimented with this idea.
ils ils avaient expérimenté Ils avaient expérimenté cette méthode. They had experimented with this method.
elles elles avaient expérimenté Elles avaient expérimenté cette technique. They had experimented with this technique.

Other Conjugations for Expérimenter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb expérimenter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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