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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb parsemer

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The English translation of the French verb parsemer is “to sprinkle” or “to scatter.” It is pronounced “par-se-may.”

Parsemer comes from the Old French word “parsemer” meaning “to sow, scatter.” It is derived from the Latin word “spargere” meaning “to scatter, sprinkle.” In everyday French, parsemer is most often used in its infinitive form, but it can also be used in the present, past, and future tenses.

In the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the pluperfect tense in English, parsemer is used to describe an action that had already been completed before another past action. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb “avoir” conjugated in the imparfait tense, followed by the past participle of parsemer.

Example 1: J’avais parsemé des pétales de roses sur le lit avant que mon mari n’arrive. (I had scattered rose petals on the bed before my husband arrived.)

Example 2: Ils avaient parsemé des graines dans le jardin avant l’arrivée de la pluie. (They had sowed seeds in the garden before the rain arrived.)

Example 3: Elle avait parsemé des étoiles dans le ciel avant que la lune ne se lève. (She had sprinkled stars in the sky before the moon rose.)

In these examples, we can see that the action of scattering, sowing or sprinkling was completed before the arrival of another past event.

In conclusion, parsemer is a versatile verb that is used to describe the action of scattering or sprinkling. In the Plus-que-parfait tense, it is used to describe an action that had already been completed before another past action. Its origins can be traced back to Latin and it is commonly used in everyday French.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais parsemé J’avais parsemé le chemin de pétales de roses. I had scattered rose petals on the path.
tu tu avais parsemé Tu avais parsemé la salade de graines. You had sprinkled seeds on the salad.
il il avait parsemé Il avait parsemé la table de confettis. He had scattered confetti on the table.
elle elle avait parsemé Elle avait parsemé la chambre de bougies. She had dotted the room with candles.
on on avait parsemé On avait parsemé le jardin de fleurs. One had dotted the garden with flowers.
nous nous avions parsemé Nous avions parsemé le sol de pétales. We had spread petals on the ground.
vous vous aviez parsemé Vous aviez parsemé vos cheveux de paillettes. You had sprinkled glitter on your hair.
ils ils avaient parsemé Ils avaient parsemé la piste de danse de confettis. They had covered the dance floor with confetti.
elles elles avaient parsemé Elles avaient parsemé le parc de ballons. They had scattered balloons in the park.

Other Conjugations for Parsemer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb parsemer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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