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

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb machicoter

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The English translation of the French verb machicoter is “to crenellate” or “to add battlements.” The infinitive form of machicoter is pronounced “mah-shee-koh-teh.”

The word machicoter comes from the French noun “mâchicoulis,” which refers to a projecting gallery or parapet in a fortification used for defensive purposes. The suffix “-oter” is a verb ending that indicates the action of making or using the object.

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

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

  1. J’aurais préféré que tu aies machicoté notre château avant l’attaque. (I would have preferred that you had crenellated our castle before the attack.)

  2. Si nous avions machicoté cette tour, elle aurait été plus difficile à prendre. (If we had crenellated this tower, it would have been harder to capture.)

  3. Il fallait que les archers aient machicoté le mur pour mieux se défendre. (It was necessary for the archers to have crenellated the wall to better defend themselves.)

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

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

Other Conjugations for Machicoter.

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

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb machicoter
   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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