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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb rebrousser

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The English translation of the French verb rebrousser is “to turn back” or “to retrace one’s steps.” It is pronounced “ruh-broo-say” in its infinitive form.

The origin of the word rebrousser can be traced back to the French verb “brosser” which means “to brush” or “to sweep.” The prefix “re-” adds the meaning of “again” or “back,” giving rebrousser its overall meaning of “to turn back.”

In everyday French, rebrousser is most often used in the Plus-que-parfait tense, which is the past perfect tense. This tense is used to talk about an action that was completed before another action in the past.

Here are three examples of rebrousser in the Plus-que-parfait tense and their English translations:

  1. J’avais rebroussé chemin lorsque je me suis rendu compte que j’avais oublié mon portefeuille. (I had turned back when I realized I had forgotten my wallet.)

  2. Tu avais rebroussé la conversation avant qu’elle ne devienne trop personnelle. (You had changed the subject before it became too personal.)

  3. Elle avait rebroussé ses manches et s’était mise au travail pour préparer le dîner. (She had rolled up her sleeves and started working to prepare dinner.)

In each of these examples, the action of rebrousser (turning back) was completed before another action in the past (realizing she forgot her wallet, changing the subject, and starting to prepare dinner).

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

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
je j’avais rebroussé J’avais rebroussé chemin. I had turned back.
tu tu avais rebroussé Tu avais rebroussé la manche. You had rolled up your sleeve.
il il avait rebroussé Il avait rebroussé son pantalon. He had rolled up his pants.
elle elle avait rebroussé Elle avait rebroussé sa jupe. She had hiked up her skirt.
on on avait rebroussé On avait rebroussé le tapis. One had rolled up the carpet.
nous nous avions rebroussé Nous avions rebroussé les manches. We had rolled up our sleeves.
vous vous aviez rebroussé Vous aviez rebroussé le tissu. You had folded the fabric.
ils ils avaient rebroussé Ils avaient rebroussé les bras. They had rolled up their sleeves.
elles elles avaient rebroussé Elles avaient rebroussé la couverture. They had pulled up the blanket.

Other Conjugations for Rebrousser.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb rebrousser
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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