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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb porter

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The English translation of the French verb porter is “to wear” or “to carry.” It is pronounced as “por-TAY.”

The word “porter” comes from the Latin verb “portare,” meaning “to carry.” In everyday French, it is a common verb used to describe physically carrying or wearing something, but it can also be used in a figurative sense, such as carrying a burden or responsibility.

In the plus-que-parfait tense, “porter” is used to describe an action that had already been completed before another past action. Some common examples include:

  1. J’avais porté mes bagages avant de partir en vacances. (I had carried my luggage before leaving for vacation.)
  2. Elle avait porté une robe rouge pour son anniversaire. (She had worn a red dress for her birthday.)
  3. Nous avions porté plainte contre notre voisin bruyant. (We had filed a complaint against our noisy neighbor.)

Overall, porter is a versatile verb that is used frequently in everyday French conversation to describe physical actions or responsibilities. Its origin in Latin makes it a cognate in many other languages, including English, and its usage in the plus-que-parfait tense adds an extra layer of complexity to its meaning.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais porté J’avais porté le sac. I had carried the bag.
tu tu avais porté Tu avais porté la valise. You had carried the suitcase.
il il avait porté Il avait porté le colis. He had carried the package.
elle elle avait porté Elle avait porté le paquet. She had carried the parcel.
on on avait porté On avait porté le sac à dos. One had carried the backpack.
nous nous avions porté Nous avions porté les valises. We had carried the suitcases.
vous vous aviez porté Vous aviez porté les sacs. You had carried the bags.
ils ils avaient porté Ils avaient porté les colis. They had carried the packages.
elles elles avaient porté Elles avaient porté les valises. They had carried the suitcases.

Other Conjugations for Porter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb porter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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