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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb chronométrer

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The English translation of the French verb chronométrer is “to time” or “to measure time.” The infinitive form is pronounced as “kroh-noh-meh-treh.”

The word chronométrer comes from the Greek word “khronos” meaning “time” and the French word “métrer” meaning “to measure.” It is derived from the noun “chronomètre,” which refers to a timekeeping device.

In everyday French, chronométrer is most often used in the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait tense to express a past action that is hypothetical or uncertain. This tense is formed by using the past subjunctive of the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” and the past participle of the verb.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait tense with their English translations:

  1. J’aurais aimé que tu aies chronométré le temps pour qu’on puisse évaluer notre vitesse. (I wish you had timed the time so that we could assess our speed.)

  2. Il était important que nous ayons chronométré chaque étape de la course pour pouvoir identifier nos faiblesses. (It was important that we had timed each stage of the race to be able to identify our weaknesses.)

  3. Je me serais senti plus rassuré si tu avais chronométré notre trajet avant de partir. (I would have felt more reassured if you had timed our journey before leaving.)

Overall, the verb chronométrer is used in the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait tense to express an action that could have or should have been done in the past, but was not necessarily completed. It adds a sense of uncertainty or possibility to the sentence.

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

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je eusse chronométré Il était nécessaire que je eusse chronométré chaque étape. It was necessary that I had timed each step.
tu eusses chronométré Il était nécessaire que tu eusses chronométré chaque étape. It was necessary that you had timed each step.
il eût chronométré Il était nécessaire qu’il eût chronométré chaque étape. It was necessary that he had timed each step.
elle eût chronométré Il était nécessaire qu’elle eût chronométré chaque étape. It was necessary that she had timed each step.
on eût chronométré Il était nécessaire qu’on eût chronométré chaque étape. It was necessary that one had timed each step.
nous eussions chronométré Il était nécessaire que nous eussions chronométré chaque étape. It was necessary that we had timed each step.
vous eussiez chronométré Il était nécessaire que vous eussiez chronométré chaque étape. It was necessary that you had timed each step.
ils eussent chronométré Il était nécessaire qu’ils eussent chronométré chaque étape. It was necessary that they had timed each step.
elles eussent chronométré Il était nécessaire qu’elles eussent chronométré chaque étape. It was necessary that they had timed each step.

Other Conjugations for Chronométrer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chronométrer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb chronométrer
    (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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Chronométrer – 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.

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