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

Introduction to the verb lustrer

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The English translation of the French verb lustrer is “to polish” or “to shine.” It is pronounced [lystʁe] in its infinitive form.

The word lustrer comes from the Latin word “lustrare,” meaning “to purify” or “to brighten.” In everyday French, lustrer is commonly used to describe the action of shining or polishing an object, such as shoes, silverware, or a car. It can also be used figuratively to describe someone who is trying to improve or perfect something.

In the Plus-que-parfait tense (past perfect), lustrer is used to describe an action that had been completed in the past before another past action or event. Here are three simple examples of its usage in this tense, with English translations:

  1. J’avais lustré mes chaussures avant d’aller à la soirée. (I had polished my shoes before going to the party.)
  2. Elle avait lustré la voiture avant de la vendre. (She had shined the car before selling it.)
  3. Nous avions lustré les couverts pour le dîner de Noël. (We had polished the silverware for Christmas dinner.)

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais lustré J’avais lustré mes chaussures. I had polished my shoes.
tu tu avais lustré Tu avais lustré la table. You had polished the table.
il il avait lustré Il avait lustré la voiture. He had polished the car.
elle elle avait lustré Elle avait lustré les cuivres. She had polished the brass.
on on avait lustré On avait lustré les meubles. One had polished the furniture.
nous nous avions lustré Nous avions lustré les parquets. We had polished the floors.
vous vous aviez lustré Vous aviez lustré les verres. You had polished the glasses.
ils ils avaient lustré Ils avaient lustré les couverts. They had polished the silverware.
elles elles avaient lustré Elles avaient lustré les miroirs. They had polished the mirrors.

Other Conjugations for Lustrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb lustrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Lustrer – 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.

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