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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb instaurer

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The English translation of the French verb instaurer is “to establish” or “to institute.” It is pronounced as “an-stoar-ay” in its infinitive form.

The word “instaurer” comes from the Latin word “instaurare,” meaning “to renew” or “to restore.” It entered the French language in the 15th century and is derived from the prefix “in-” meaning “in” or “on,” and the verb “staurare” meaning “to establish.”

In everyday French, instaurer is often used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the equivalent of the past perfect tense in English. It is used to talk about an action that was completed before another action in the past.

Here are three simple examples of using instaurer in the Plus-que-parfait tense with their English translations:

  1. J’avais instauré une nouvelle règle avant que le chaos ne s’installe. (I had established a new rule before chaos set in.)
  2. Nous avions instauré une tradition familiale qui consistait à se réunir chaque dimanche. (We had established a family tradition of getting together every Sunday.)
  3. Ils avaient instauré un système de bonus pour motiver leurs employés. (They had instituted a bonus system to motivate their employees.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais instauré J’avais instauré une nouvelle politique. I had established a new policy.
tu tu avais instauré Tu avais instauré un nouveau système. You had implemented a new system.
il il avait instauré Il avait instauré des règles strictes. He had introduced strict rules.
elle elle avait instauré Elle avait instauré une nouvelle tradition. She had instituted a new tradition.
on on avait instauré On avait instauré un couvre-feu. One had imposed a curfew.
nous nous avions instauré Nous avions instauré un nouveau régime. We had implemented a new regime.
vous vous aviez instauré Vous aviez instauré une nouvelle politique. You had established a new policy.
ils ils avaient instauré Ils avaient instauré un nouveau système. They had implemented a new system.
elles elles avaient instauré Elles avaient instauré des règles strictes. They had introduced strict rules.

Other Conjugations for Instaurer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb instaurer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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