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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb juxtaposer

Get the Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) tense conjugation of juxtaposer. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb juxtaposer is “to juxtapose.” It is pronounced “zhoo-ks-tu-po-zay.”

Juxtaposer comes from the Latin word “juxtapositio,” meaning “to place side by side.” It entered the French language in the 17th century and has been used to describe the act of placing two things together in close proximity ever since.

In everyday French, juxtaposer is most often used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the equivalent of the past perfect tense in English. This tense is used to describe an action that was completed before another past action. For example, “I had placed (juxtaposed) the books on the shelf before leaving the room.” Here are three simple examples of its usage:

  1. J’avais juxtaposé les couleurs pour obtenir un effet contrastant.
    Translation: I had juxtaposed the colors to get a contrasting effect.

  2. Ils avaient juxtaposé les deux photos côte à côte pour les comparer.
    Translation: They had juxtaposed the two photos side by side to compare them.

  3. Nous avions juxtaposé les arguments des deux côtés du débat.
    Translation: We had juxtaposed the arguments from both sides of the debate.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais juxtaposé J’avais juxtaposé les photos. I had juxtaposed the photos.
tu tu avais juxtaposé Tu avais juxtaposé les images. You had juxtaposed the images.
il il avait juxtaposé Il avait juxtaposé les éléments. He had juxtaposed the elements.
elle elle avait juxtaposé Elle avait juxtaposé les couleurs. She had juxtaposed the colors.
on on avait juxtaposé On avait juxtaposé les objets. One had juxtaposed the objects.
nous nous avions juxtaposé Nous avions juxtaposé les pièces. We had juxtaposed the pieces.
vous vous aviez juxtaposé Vous aviez juxtaposé les formes. You had juxtaposed the shapes.
ils ils avaient juxtaposé Ils avaient juxtaposé les styles. They had juxtaposed the styles.
elles elles avaient juxtaposé Elles avaient juxtaposé les textures. They had juxtaposed the textures.

Other Conjugations for Juxtaposer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb juxtaposer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the juxtaposer Plus-que-parfait tense conjugation!

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

Similar Posts