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

Introduction to the verb instaurer

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The English translation of the French verb instaurer is “to establish” or “to institute.” The infinitive form is pronounced “ahn-stoh-reh.”

The word instaurer comes from the Latin word “instaurare,” meaning “to renew or restore.” It entered the French language in the late 14th century and has been used in various contexts throughout history.

In everyday French, instaurer is most often used in the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait tense, which is a past tense used to express actions that were completed before another past action. This tense is formed by using the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” in the Imparfait tense, followed by the past participle form of the main verb.

Here are three examples of instaurer used in the Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait tense, with their respective English translations:

  1. J’avais instauré une nouvelle politique avant que la crise n’éclate. (I had established a new policy before the crisis broke out.)

  2. Il était temps que nous ayons instauré des règles plus strictes pour le bien de tous. (It was time that we had established stricter rules for the good of all.)

  3. Avant qu’il ne parte, elle lui avait instauré un régime strict. (Before he left, she had instituted a strict diet for him.)

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

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

Other Conjugations for Instaurer.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb instaurer
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Instaurer – 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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