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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb poser

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The English translation of the French verb poser is “to pose” or “to ask”. It is pronounced as “po-zay” in its infinitive form.

The word poser originates from the Latin word “ponere” which means “to place”. It evolved into the Old French word “poser” which means “to place, lay, or put down”. In modern French, poser is most often used as a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object, and is commonly used to describe the act of placing or putting something down.

In the Plus-que-parfait tense, poser is used to talk about actions that had happened in the past before another past action. For example:

  1. J’avais déjà posé mes clés sur la table quand je me suis rendu compte qu’elles avaient disparu. (I had already put my keys on the table when I realized they were gone.)
  2. Tu avais posé ta candidature pour ce poste avant de recevoir l’offre d’emploi de ton ami. (You had applied for this job before receiving the job offer from your friend.)
  3. Les invités étaient arrivés avant que j’aie posé les assiettes sur la table. (The guests had arrived before I had put the plates on the table.)

In these examples, poser is used to describe an action that had already happened before a specific past event. It is often used with the auxiliary verb “avoir” in the Plus-que-parfait tense.

Overall, poser is a versatile verb that can be used in various contexts, from physically placing something to asking a question. Its usage in the Plus-que-parfait tense allows for a more precise and nuanced description of past events.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais posé J’avais posé mon livre sur la table. I had placed my book on the table.
tu tu avais posé Tu avais posé ta valise dans le placard. You had put your suitcase in the closet.
il il avait posé Il avait posé sa tasse sur le comptoir. He had set his cup on the counter.
elle elle avait posé Elle avait posé ses affaires sur le lit. She had placed her belongings on the bed.
on on avait posé On avait posé les fleurs sur la table. One had put the flowers on the table.
nous nous avions posé Nous avions posé les sacs dans le coffre. We had placed the bags in the trunk.
vous vous aviez posé Vous aviez posé le livre sur l’étagère. You had put the book on the shelf.
ils ils avaient posé Ils avaient posé les clés sur la table. They had put the keys on the table.
elles elles avaient posé Elles avaient posé les assiettes sur la table. They had placed the plates on the table.

Other Conjugations for Poser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb poser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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