Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) in French is the direct equivalent of the pluperfect in English. It could be described as "the past of the past":
When I had finished my homework, I went for a walk.
Of course, English speakers are likely to make contractions:
When I'd finished my homework, I went for a walk.
Learn how to conjugate verbs with irregular past participles in Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) in French
Tu avais été heureux un temps, avant de te lasser.You'd been happy for a while, before getting bored.
Il avait fait le tour du monde avant la naissance de sa fille.He had travelled around the world before his daughter was born.
Mme Joubert avait eu deux autres chats avant d'adopter Roxy.Mrs Joubert had had two other cats before she adopted Roxy.
Le Plus-que-Parfait (Indicatif) follows this construction, which is similar to the pluperfect in English (had +-ed):
avoir in the imperfect tense (L'Imparfait (Indicatif)) + été / eu / fait / pris... [past participles]
Reminder of how to conjugate avoir in L'Imparfait (Indicatif)
j'avais
tu avais
il avait
nous avions
vous aviez
ils avaient
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Examples and resources
Aviez-vous jamais voulu être actrice avant de décrocher ce rôle ?Had you ever wanted to be an actress before getting that role?
Tu avais été heureux un temps, avant de te lasser.You'd been happy for a while, before getting bored.
Avais-tu pris ton appareil photo quand tu es allé en vacances ?Had you taken your camera when you went on holidays?
Nous avions pris nos places en avance mais nous n'avons pas pu y aller au final.We had booked our tickets in advance but we couldn't go in the end.
Il avait fait le tour du monde avant la naissance de sa fille.He had travelled around the world before his daughter was born.
Mme Joubert avait eu deux autres chats avant d'adopter Roxy.Mrs Joubert had had two other cats before she adopted Roxy.
avoir
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LZLqSIrly6I/hqdefault.jpg)
être
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_yKhfAqnWtg/hqdefault.jpg)
faire
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hHiqbgBX3VI/hqdefault.jpg)
prendre
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yroyQz3gDK4/hqdefault.jpg)
vouloir
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dIokRkjG70A/hqdefault.jpg)