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

Introduction to the verb manquer

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The English translation of the French verb manquer is “to miss” or “to lack.” The infinitive form of manquer is pronounced “mahn-kay.”

The origin of the word manquer can be traced back to the Latin verb “mancare,” which means “to be lacking” or “to fail.” It was then adapted into Old French as “manquer” and has remained relatively unchanged in its meaning and usage.

In everyday French, manquer is most commonly used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the past perfect tense in English. This tense is used to describe an action that was completed before another past action or time.

Here are three simple examples of manquer in the Plus-que-parfait tense:

  1. J’avais manqué mon train avant d’arriver à la gare.
    (I had missed my train before arriving at the station.)

  2. Nous avions manqué le début du film parce que nous étions en retard.
    (We had missed the beginning of the movie because we were late.)

  3. Tu avais manqué l’occasion de rencontrer ta star préférée si tu n’étais pas venu hier soir.
    (You had missed the chance to meet your favorite star if you hadn’t come last night.)

In each of these examples, manquer is used to indicate an action that was already completed in the past before another action took place. It can also be used to express regret or disappointment, as in the third example where the speaker regrets not coming to the event and therefore missing the opportunity to meet their favorite star.

In conclusion, manquer is a versatile verb that is commonly used in everyday French and can be used in various tenses to convey different meanings. Its origin can be traced back to Latin and it remains an important verb in the French language.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais manqué J’avais manqué mon train. I had missed my train.
tu tu avais manqué Tu avais manqué ta chance. You had missed your chance.
il il avait manqué Il avait manqué son rendez-vous. He had missed his appointment.
elle elle avait manqué Elle avait manqué son vol. She had missed her flight.
on on avait manqué On avait manqué l’heure. One had missed the time.
nous nous avions manqué Nous avions manqué notre réunion. We had missed our meeting.
vous vous aviez manqué Vous aviez manqué le match. You had missed the game.
ils ils avaient manqué Ils avaient manqué leur train. They had missed their train.
elles elles avaient manqué Elles avaient manqué leur chance. They had missed their chance.

Other Conjugations for Manquer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb manquer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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