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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb formoler

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The English translation of the French verb formoler is “to formulate” or “to shape.” The infinitive form of the verb is pronounced “for-mo-lay.”

The word formoler comes from the Latin word “formulare,” meaning “to form” or “to shape.” It entered the French language in the 13th century and has been used primarily in the context of creating or shaping something, whether it be an idea or a physical object.

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

Here are three simple examples of formoler used in the Plus-que-parfait tense:

  1. J’avais formulé une hypothèse avant même de commencer l’expérience.
    English translation: I had formulated a hypothesis even before starting the experiment.

  2. Elle avait formulé une demande d’augmentation de salaire, mais elle l’avait oubliée en arrivant à son entretien annuel.
    English translation: She had formulated a request for a raise, but she had forgotten it when she arrived at her annual review.

  3. Nous avions formulé une réponse à la question posée par le professeur avant que la sonnerie ne retentisse.
    English translation: We had formulated an answer to the question asked by the teacher before the bell rang.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais formulé J’avais formulé une hypothèse. I had formulated a hypothesis.
tu tu avais formulé Tu avais formulé une réponse. You had formulated an answer.
il il avait formulé Il avait formulé une excuse. He had formulated an excuse.
elle elle avait formulé Elle avait formulé une question. She had formulated a question.
on on avait formulé On avait formulé un plan. One had formulated a plan.
nous nous avions formulé Nous avions formulé un projet. We had formulated a project.
vous vous aviez formulé Vous aviez formulé une proposition. You had formulated a proposal.
ils ils avaient formulé Ils avaient formulé une stratégie. They had formulated a strategy.
elles elles avaient formulé Elles avaient formulé une demande. They had formulated a request.

Other Conjugations for Formoler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb formoler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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