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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb ratatiner

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The English translation of the French verb ratatiner is “to shrivel up” or “to shrink.” The infinitive form of ratatiner is pronounced as “rah-tah-tee-nay.”

The origins of the word ratatiner are uncertain, but it is believed to have originated from a combination of the French word “ratatiné,” meaning shriveled, and the word “tiner,” meaning to turn. In everyday French, ratatiner is most commonly used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the past perfect tense in English. This tense is used to talk about actions that were completed in the past before another action took place.

Three examples of ratatiner in the Plus-que-parfait tense are:

  1. J’avais ratatiné la pomme avant de la mettre dans le gâteau. (I had shriveled up the apple before putting it in the cake.)
  2. Ils avaient ratatiné leurs vêtements en les laissant trop longtemps dans la sécheuse. (They had shrunk their clothes by leaving them in the dryer for too long.)
  3. Tu avais ratatiné ta main en la mettant sur la plaque chaude. (You had shrunk your hand by putting it on the hot plate.)

In these examples, ratatiner is used to describe an action that was completed in the past and had an effect on another action or event. It is a versatile verb that can be used in a variety of contexts to describe something that has shrunk or shriveled up.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais ratatiné J’avais ratatiné le papier. I had crumpled the paper.
tu tu avais ratatiné Tu avais ratatiné la boîte. You had crushed the box.
il il avait ratatiné Il avait ratatiné l’herbe. He had shrunk the grass.
elle elle avait ratatiné Elle avait ratatiné le tissu. She had puckered the fabric.
on on avait ratatiné On avait ratatiné la feuille. One had crumpled the leaf.
nous nous avions ratatiné Nous avions ratatiné le journal. We had crumpled the newspaper.
vous vous aviez ratatiné Vous aviez ratatiné le métal. You had crushed the metal.
ils ils avaient ratatiné Ils avaient ratatiné le carton. They had crushed the cardboard.
elles elles avaient ratatiné Elles avaient ratatiné les feuilles. They had crumpled the leaves.

Other Conjugations for Ratatiner.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb ratatiner
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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