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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb pacifier

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The English translation of the French verb pacifier is “to pacify.” The infinitive form of the verb is pronounced as “pa-see-fee-ay.”

The word “pacifier” comes from the Latin word “pacificare,” which means “to make peace.” It entered the French language in the 13th century and has been used in various forms throughout history, including “pacifie,” “pacifiier,” and the current form “pacifier.”

In everyday French, pacifier is most often used in its past tense form, “pacifié,” in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which indicates an action that was completed before another past action. This tense is formed with the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” in the imparfait tense, followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Examples:

  1. J’avais pacifié la situation avant que les choses ne dégénèrent.
    (I had pacified the situation before things escalated.)

  2. Elle avait déjà pacifié ses ennemis avant de devenir chef du pays.
    (She had already pacified her enemies before becoming the leader of the country.)

  3. Nous étions heureux d’avoir pacifié nos problèmes de voisinage avant de déménager.
    (We were happy to have pacified our neighborhood issues before moving out.)

In these examples, “pacifié” is used to indicate an action that was completed before a specific past event, such as things escalating, becoming a leader, or moving out. The word can also be used in a more general sense to describe the state of peace or calmness that has been achieved.

English translations:

  1. I had pacified the situation before things escalated.
  2. She had already pacified her enemies before becoming the leader of the country.
  3. We were happy to have pacified our neighborhood issues before moving out.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais pacifié J’avais pacifié la situation. I had pacified the situation.
tu tu avais pacifié Tu avais pacifié l’atmosphère. You had pacified the atmosphere.
il il avait pacifié Il avait pacifié le conflit. He had pacified the conflict.
elle elle avait pacifié Elle avait pacifié la discussion. She had pacified the conversation.
on on avait pacifié On avait pacifié la foule. One had pacified the crowd.
nous nous avions pacifié Nous avions pacifié le pays. We had pacified the country.
vous vous aviez pacifié Vous aviez pacifié la ville. You had pacified the city.
ils ils avaient pacifié Ils avaient pacifié la région. They had pacified the region.
elles elles avaient pacifié Elles avaient pacifié l’environnement. They had pacified the environment.

Other Conjugations for Pacifier.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb pacifier
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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