Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect)

The plus-que-parfait (pluperfect) is used to talk about an action that happened before another past action. In English, it corresponds to "had done," "had spoken," "had gone." If the passé composé is "one step" into the past, the plus-que-parfait is "two steps" — further back in time.

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How to Form the Plus-que-parfait

Subject + imparfait of avoir or être + past participle

With Avoir: Manger (to eat)

Person	Plus-que-parfait	Translation
je	j'avais mangé	I had eaten
tu	tu avais mangé	you had eaten
il / elle / on	il avait mangé	he had eaten
nous	nous avions mangé	we had eaten
vous	vous aviez mangé	you had eaten
ils / elles	ils avaient mangé	they had eaten

With Être: Partir (to leave)

Person	Plus-que-parfait	Translation
je	j'étais parti(e)	I had left
tu	tu étais parti(e)	you had left
il	il était parti	he had left
elle	elle était partie	she had left
nous	nous étions parti(e)s	we had left
ils	ils étaient partis	they had left
elles	elles étaient parties	they had left

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Same Rules as Passé Composé

1. Same verbs use être (DR MRS VANDERTRAMP + reflexive verbs).
2. Same agreement rules apply.
3. Same irregular past participles (fait, pris, mis, vu, etc.).
4. Negation: Je n'avais pas fini. — I hadn't finished.

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The Five Main Uses

1. An Action Before Another Past Action

• Quand il est arrivé, nous avions déjà mangé. — When he arrived, we had already eaten.
• J'ai retrouvé les clés que j'avais perdues. — I found the keys that I had lost.

2. Reported Speech

• Direct: Il a dit : « J'ai fini. » — He said: "I finished."
• Indirect: Il a dit qu'il avait fini. — He said that he had finished.