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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb frissonner

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The English translation of the French verb frissonner is “to shiver” or “to shudder.” It is pronounced as “free-so-nay.”

The word frissonner comes from the French word “frisson,” which means “a shiver” or “a thrill.” It originated from the Old French word “frisun,” which is derived from the Latin word “frigus,” meaning “cold” or “chill.”

In everyday French, frissonner is most often used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the pluperfect tense in English. This tense is used to express actions that were completed in the past before another action took place. For example:

  1. J’avais frissonné en voyant le film d’horreur. (I had shivered while watching the horror movie.)
  2. Tu avais frissonné lorsque tu as vu l’araignée. (You had shuddered when you saw the spider.)
  3. Ils avaient frissonné en entendant le bruit étrange. (They had shivered upon hearing the strange noise.)

In all of these examples, the action of shivering (frissonner) took place before another action (watching the movie, seeing the spider, hearing the noise).

In conclusion, frissonner is a verb that means “to shiver” or “to shudder.” It is commonly used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which expresses actions that were completed in the past before another action.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais frissonné J’avais frissonné en entendant ce bruit. I had shivered when hearing that noise.
tu tu avais frissonné Tu avais frissonné à cause de la température. You had shivered because of the temperature.
il il avait frissonné Il avait frissonné en regardant le film d’horreur. He had shivered while watching the horror movie.
elle elle avait frissonné Elle avait frissonné à la vue de l’araignée. She had shivered at the sight of the spider.
on on avait frissonné On avait frissonné en traversant la forêt sombre. One had shivered while crossing the dark forest.
nous nous avions frissonné Nous avions frissonné de peur. We had shivered from fear.
vous vous aviez frissonné Vous aviez frissonné lors de l’ascenseur. You had shivered during the elevator ride.
ils ils avaient frissonné Ils avaient frissonné en entendant la mauvaise nouvelle. They had shivered when hearing the bad news.
elles elles avaient frissonné Elles avaient frissonné à cause du vent froid. They had shivered because of the cold wind.

Other Conjugations for Frissonner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb frissonner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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