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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb débâcher

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The English translation of the French verb débâcher is “to uncover” or “to remove the tarp”. The infinitive form of débâcher is pronounced as “dey-bah-shay”.

The word débâcher comes from the Old French word “debachier” which means “to remove the roof of a building”. The prefix “dé-” means “to remove” and “bâcher” comes from the Latin word “bacca” which means “tarp” or “cover”. In everyday French, débâcher is most often used in the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait tense, also known as the past subjunctive tense. This tense is used to express an action that happened before another past action. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” in the imperfect subjunctive form followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Here are three simple examples of débâcher in the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait tense:

  1. J’espérais qu’il eût débâché avant qu’il ne pleuve. (I was hoping he had uncovered before it rained.)
  2. Il fallait que nous eussions débâché avant qu’il ne fasse trop chaud. (We had to uncover before it got too hot.)
  3. Je craignais qu’ils n’eussent pas débâché à temps pour la cérémonie. (I was afraid they hadn’t uncovered in time for the ceremony.)

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

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

Other Conjugations for Débâcher.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb débâcher
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Débâcher – 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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