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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb ossifier

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The English translation of the French verb ossifier is “to ossify.” It is pronounced as “oh-see-fee-yay” in the infinitive form.
The word “ossifier” comes from the French word “os,” meaning “bone,” and the Latin suffix “-fiare,” meaning “to make.” It is derived from the Latin word “ossificare,” which has the same meaning.

In everyday French, ossifier 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. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” in the imperfect tense, followed by the past participle of the verb.

Here are three simple examples of how ossifier is used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, with their English translations:

  1. J’avais ossifié mes idées avant de prendre ma décision.
    (I had ossified my ideas before making my decision.)
  2. Elle était devenue si rigide qu’elle avait ossifié son corps.
    (She had become so rigid that she had ossified her body.)
  3. Nous avions ossifié notre manière de penser et il était difficile de changer.
    (We had ossified our way of thinking and it was difficult to change.)

In all of these examples, ossifier is used to describe a process of hardening or becoming rigid, both physically and mentally. It is often used in a figurative sense to describe something becoming set or inflexible.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais ossifié J’avais ossifié les os de ma jambe. I had ossified the bones in my leg.
tu tu avais ossifié Tu avais ossifié tes idées. You had ossified your ideas.
il il avait ossifié Il avait ossifié son esprit. He had ossified his mind.
elle elle avait ossifié Elle avait ossifié sa peau. She had ossified her skin.
on on avait ossifié On avait ossifié la matière. One had ossified the matter.
nous nous avions ossifié Nous avions ossifié la structure. We had ossified the structure.
vous vous aviez ossifié Vous aviez ossifié le bois. You had ossified the wood.
ils ils avaient ossifié Ils avaient ossifié leurs croyances. They had ossified their beliefs.
elles elles avaient ossifié Elles avaient ossifié leur corps. They had ossified their body.

Other Conjugations for Ossifier.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ossifier
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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