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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb muloter

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The English translation of the French verb muloter is “to rummage through.”

The infinitive form of muloter is pronounced “moo-loh-tay.”

The origin of the verb muloter can be traced back to the Old French word “muloter,” which meant “to turn over, to rummage through.” It is derived from the Latin word “mollis,” meaning soft, and the suffix “-oter,” which typically indicates an action that is repeated or done with ease.

In everyday French, muloter is most often used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the pluperfect tense in English. This tense is used to describe an action that had already been completed before another past action. For example:

  1. J’avais muloté dans mes affaires avant que je parte en voyage. (I had rummaged through my belongings before leaving on my trip.)

  2. Tu avais muloté dans mes dossiers avant que je rentre à la maison. (You had rummaged through my files before I came home.)

  3. Ils avaient muloté dans mon sac avant que je m’en rende compte. (They had rummaged through my bag before I realized it.)

In these examples, the action of rummaging through (muloter) had been completed before the past tense verb (partir, rentrer, se rendre compte). The use of the Plus-que-parfait tense adds an extra layer of pastness to the action of muloter, emphasizing that it had happened even earlier in the past.

Overall, muloter is a versatile verb that can be used in various tenses and contexts in French, but it is most commonly used in the Plus-que-parfait tense to describe a past action that was completed before another past action.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais muloté J’avais muloté dans le champ. I had searched in the field.
tu tu avais muloté Tu avais muloté toutes les informations. You had searched all the information.
il il avait muloté Il avait muloté dans les archives. He had searched through the archives.
elle elle avait muloté Elle avait muloté sur internet. She had searched on the internet.
on on avait muloté On avait muloté dans le bureau. One had searched in the office.
nous nous avions muloté Nous avions muloté dans le jardin. We had searched in the garden.
vous vous aviez muloté Vous aviez muloté dans le quartier. You had searched in the neighborhood.
ils ils avaient muloté Ils avaient muloté dans la bibliothèque. They had searched in the library.
elles elles avaient muloté Elles avaient muloté dans la forêt. They had searched in the forest.

Other Conjugations for Muloter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb muloter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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