Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
Introduction to the verb machicoter
The English translation of the French verb machicoter is “to embattle” or “to fortify with battlements.” It is pronounced “mah-shee-koh-tay.”
The word machicoter comes from the Old French word “machicoc,” meaning “a battlement or projecting parapet.” It is most commonly used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which expresses an action that occurred before another action in the past.
In everyday French, machicoter is often used in a figurative sense to describe someone who is overly cautious or defensive, similar to the way a fortified castle would protect against attacks. It can also be used in a literal sense to describe the act of fortifying or strengthening a structure.
Examples of its usage in the Plus-que-parfait tense are:
- Ils avaient machicoté les murs du château avant que l’ennemi n’arrive. (They had fortified the castle walls before the enemy arrived.)
- Elle s’était machicotée pour éviter de se blesser en faisant du sport. (She had fortified herself to avoid getting injured while playing sports.)
- Nous avions machicoté nos arguments avant la réunion pour être prêts à défendre notre position. (We had fortified our arguments before the meeting to be ready to defend our position.)
In these examples, machicoter is used to describe an action that was completed before a specific event or action in the past. The Plus-que-parfait tense is formed by using the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” in the imperfect tense followed by the past participle form of machicoter.
Table of the Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of machicoter
Pronoun | Conjugation | Short Example | English Translation |
---|---|---|---|
je | j’avais machicoté | J’avais machicoté toute la soirée. | I had been fiddling all evening. |
tu | tu avais machicoté | Tu avais machicoté avec tes doigts. | You had been fiddling with your fingers. |
il | il avait machicoté | Il avait machicoté toute la journée. | He had been fiddling all day. |
elle | elle avait machicoté | Elle avait machicoté avec sa robe. | She had been fiddling with her dress. |
on | on avait machicoté | On avait machicoté sans relâche. | One had been fiddling without stopping. |
nous | nous avions machicoté | Nous avions machicoté avec les boutons. | We had been fiddling with the buttons. |
vous | vous aviez machicoté | Vous aviez machicoté pendant des heures. | You had been fiddling for hours. |
ils | ils avaient machicoté | Ils avaient machicoté toute la nuit. | They had been fiddling all night. |
elles | elles avaient machicoté | Elles avaient machicoté avec les fils. | They had been fiddling with the threads. |
Other Conjugations for Machicoter.
Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter (this article)
Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
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Machicoter – About the French Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense
Tense Formation
Common everyday usage patterns
Sequencing of past events
Background information
Hypothetical or reported speech
Interactions with other tenses
Summary
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