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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb isoler

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The English translation of the French verb isoler is “to isolate.” It is pronounced “ee-zoh-lay.”

The word isoler comes from the Latin word “insula,” meaning island, and was originally used in French to mean to separate or detach something, similar to an island. In modern French, isoler is most often used in the transitive form, meaning that it requires a direct object.

In the Plus-que-parfait tense, isoler is used to describe an action that was completed in the past before another action. It is formed by using the imperfect tense of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être,” followed by the past participle of isoler. Here are three examples of its usage in this tense:

  1. J’avais isolé la chambre avant l’arrivée des invités. (I had isolated the room before the guests arrived.)
  2. Tu avais isolé toutes les voix sauf la tienne. (You had isolated all the voices except yours.)
  3. Ils étaient partis avant que je ne les aie isolés. (They had left before I isolated them.)

In these examples, the action of isoler is completed before the other action in the sentence. It is often used to describe a preparation or precautionary action that was taken before something else happened.

Overall, isoler is a commonly used verb in everyday French, as it can refer to physically isolating something or someone, as well as isolating a specific idea or concept. In the Plus-que-parfait tense, it adds a layer of specificity to the timeline of events.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais isolé J’avais isolé la pièce. I had isolated the room.
tu tu avais isolé Tu avais isolé la maison. You had isolated the house.
il il avait isolé Il avait isolé la voix. He had isolated the voice.
elle elle avait isolé Elle avait isolé l’animal. She had isolated the animal.
on on avait isolé On avait isolé le problème. One had isolated the problem.
nous nous avions isolé Nous avions isolé l’objet. We had isolated the object.
vous vous aviez isolé Vous aviez isolé la personne. You had isolated the person.
ils ils avaient isolé Ils avaient isolé le groupe. They had isolated the group.
elles elles avaient isolé Elles avaient isolé la situation. They had isolated the situation.

Other Conjugations for Isoler.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb isoler
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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