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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb paillarder

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The English translation of the French verb paillarder is to be a libertine or to engage in debauchery. It is pronounced as “pa-ee-yar-dey.”

The word paillarder comes from the noun paillard, which means a debauched or licentious person. The verb form, paillarder, originated in the late 17th century and was originally used to describe someone who was leading a dissolute or immoral lifestyle. In modern French, it is most commonly used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the past perfect tense, to describe an action that had already been completed before another action in the past.

Three simple examples of using paillarder in the Plus-que-parfait tense are:

  1. J’avais paillardé toute la nuit avant de rentrer chez moi. (I had been debauched all night before going back home.)

  2. Tu avais paillardé avec tes amis avant de rencontrer ta femme. (You had engaged in debauchery with your friends before meeting your wife.)

  3. Il avait paillardé à Paris pendant des années avant de se ranger. (He had been a libertine in Paris for years before settling down.)

English translations:

  1. I had been a libertine all night before going back home.

  2. You had been debauched with your friends before meeting your wife.

  3. He had been leading a debauched lifestyle in Paris for years before settling down.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais paillardé J’avais paillardé toute la nuit. I had partied all night.
tu tu avais paillardé Tu avais paillardé avec tes amis. You had partied with your friends.
il il avait paillardé Il avait paillardé pendant les vacances. He had partied during the holidays.
elle elle avait paillardé Elle avait paillardé dans la boîte de nuit. She had partied at the nightclub.
on on avait paillardé On avait paillardé en Espagne. One had partied in Spain.
nous nous avions paillardé Nous avions paillardé ensemble. We had partied together.
vous vous aviez paillardé Vous aviez paillardé toute la soirée. You had partied all evening.
ils ils avaient paillardé Ils avaient paillardé avec les voisins. They had partied with the neighbors.
elles elles avaient paillardé Elles avaient paillardé au bord de la piscine. They had partied by the pool.

Other Conjugations for Paillarder.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb paillarder
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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