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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb améliorer

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The English translation of the French verb améliorer is “to improve” or “to make better.” It is pronounced “ah-meh-lee-oh-ray.”

Améliorer comes from the Latin word “meliorare,” meaning “to make better.” It entered the French language in the 12th century and has been used in its current form since the 16th century.

In everyday French, améliorer is most often used in the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait tense to express a past action that was not completed before another past action. This tense is formed by using the subjunctive form of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être,” followed by the past participle of améliorer.

Examples:

  1. J’espérais que tu eusses amélioré ta technique avant le match. (I was hoping that you had improved your technique before the game.)

  2. Il était dommage que nous eussions pas amélioré nos relations plus tôt. (It was a shame that we had not improved our relationship earlier.)

  3. Elle était surprise que Pierre eût amélioré sa note de français. (She was surprised that Pierre had improved his French grade.)

  4. I was happy that you had improved your grades.

  5. It was important that the company had improved its sales before the end of the year.

  6. They were sad that they had not improved their living conditions despite their efforts.

Table of the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of améliorer

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je eusse amélioré J’aurais aimé que je eusse amélioré. I wish I had improved.
tu eusses amélioré J’aurais aimé que tu eusses amélioré. I wish you had improved.
il eût amélioré J’aurais aimé qu’il eût amélioré. I wish he had improved.
elle eût amélioré J’aurais aimé qu’elle eût amélioré. I wish she had improved.
on eût amélioré J’aurais aimé qu’on eût amélioré. I wish one had improved.
nous eussions amélioré J’aurais aimé que nous eussions amélioré. I wish we had improved.
vous eussiez amélioré J’aurais aimé que vous eussiez amélioré. I wish you had improved.
ils eussent amélioré J’aurais aimé qu’ils eussent amélioré. I wish they had improved.
elles eussent amélioré J’aurais aimé qu’elles eussent amélioré. I wish they had improved.

Other Conjugations for Améliorer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb améliorer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb améliorer
    (this article)

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

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Améliorer – About the French Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense

The French Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait, also known as the Pluperfect Subjunctive, is a verb tense used to express actions or states that occurred before another action in the past, and it’s used in situations where the indicative mood is in the past subjunctive or conditional mood.
NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see my article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Formation

To form the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait, you start with the imperfect subjunctive form of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être,” followed by the past participle of the main verb. 
For “avoir” verbs: Take the imperfect subjunctive form of “avoir” (e.g., j’eusse, tu eusses, il/elle eût, nous eussions, vous eussiez, ils/elles eussent). Add the past participle of the main verb. 
For “être” verbs: Take the imperfect subjunctive form of “être” (e.g., je fusse, tu fusses, il/elle fût, nous fussions, vous fussiez, ils/elles fussent). Add the past participle of the main verb.

Common Everyday Usage Patterns

Hypothetical Situations

The Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait is often used to express hypothetical or unreal actions that occurred before another past action.
For example: J’aurais aimé que tu aies fini ton travail avant que je sois arrivé. (I would have liked for you to have finished your work before I arrived.) 

Reported Speech

In reported speech, you may use the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait to convey what someone said or thought in the past. 
For example: Il m’a dit qu’il avait peur que je n’aie pas compris. (He told me that he was afraid that I hadn’t understood.) 

Doubt, Wishes, and Emotions

This tense can also be used to express doubt, wishes, and emotions about past actions. 
For example: Je doutais qu’il eût dit la vérité. (I doubted that he had told the truth.) 
J’aurais souhaité que tu fusses venu. (I would have wished for you to have come.)

Interactions with Other Tenses

Present Subjunctive

The Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait can be used to describe past actions when the main verb is in the present subjunctive. 
For example: “Il faut que j’aie fini mon travail avant que tu partes.” (I must have finished my work before you leave.) 

Imperfect Subjunctive

It’s common to use the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait with the imperfect subjunctive in complex sentences. 
For example: “Il m’avait dit qu’il fût rentré avant la fin de la journée.” (He had told me that he had returned before the end of the day.) 

Conditional

When the main verb is in the conditional mood, the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait can be used to express past unreal conditions. 
For example: “Si j’avais su, j’aurais voulu que tu aies réussi.” (If I had known, I would have wanted you to have succeeded.)

Summary

The Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait is a complex tense used to convey nuanced meanings in French. While its usage may seem intricate, it becomes more intuitive with practice and exposure to the language. It’s important to understand the context in which it’s used, as it often conveys subtleties of time, conditionality, and emotion in French sentences.

I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb améliorer. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

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