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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb gamberger

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The English translation of the French verb gamberger is “to ponder” or “to think deeply.” It is pronounced as “gam-bair-zhay” in the infinitive form.

The origin of the word gamberger can be traced back to the Old French word “gambe” which means “leg.” In the 13th century, the word “gambe” was used in the phrase “avoir les jambes gamberges,” meaning to have one’s legs crossed and folded in a thoughtful or pensive manner. Over time, this phrase evolved into the verb “gamberger” with the same meaning of deep contemplation or reflection.

In everyday French, gamberger is most often used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the past perfect tense. This tense is used to express an action that was completed before another past action or time. Here are three examples of how gamberger can be used in this tense, with their English translations:

  1. J’avais gambergé pendant des heures avant de prendre ma décision. (I had pondered for hours before making my decision.)

  2. Vous aviez gambergé sur votre avenir avant de partir en voyage. (You had thought deeply about your future before leaving on your trip.)

  3. Ils avaient gambergé sur le sujet pendant des mois, mais n’avaient toujours pas trouvé de solution. (They had pondered on the subject for months, but still hadn’t found a solution.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais gambadé J’avais gambadé dans le parc. I had frolicked in the park.
tu tu avais gambadé Tu avais gambadé dans les champs. You had frolicked in the fields.
il il avait gambadé Il avait gambadé dans la forêt. He had frolicked in the forest.
elle elle avait gambadé Elle avait gambadé sur la plage. She had frolicked on the beach.
on on avait gambadé On avait gambadé dans les rues. One had frolicked in the streets.
nous nous avions gambadé Nous avions gambadé dans le jardin. We had frolicked in the garden.
vous vous aviez gambadé Vous aviez gambadé dans les bois. You had frolicked in the woods.
ils ils avaient gambadé Ils avaient gambadé dans les montagnes. They had frolicked in the mountains.
elles elles avaient gambadé Elles avaient gambadé dans les prairies. They had frolicked in the meadows.

Other Conjugations for Gamberger.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb gamberger
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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