Conjugate reflexive verbs in the pluperfect tense in French (Le Plus-que-Parfait)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard , HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2022-12-02
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Learn how to conjugate reflexive verbs in Le Plus-que-Parfait in French

Je m'étais trompé de date cette fois-là.I'd got the date wrong that time.

Tu t'étais maquillée vite car nous étions en retard.You had put your makeup on fast because we were late.

Marie s'était habillée dans le noir pour ne pas le réveiller ce jour-là.Marie had got dressed in the dark not to wake him up that day.

Nous nous étions enfin rappelés où c'était, mais c'était trop tard.We'd finally remembered where it was, but it was too late.

Vous vous étiez amusés cette nuit-là ?Had you had fun that night?

Les animaux s'étaient enfuis pendant la nuit !The animals had escaped during the night!
 

In the French pluperfect tense (Le Plus-que-Parfait), reflexive verbs use être as an auxiliary verb, just like in other compound tenses such as the French conversational past (Le Passé Composé).

The order is as follows:

Reflexive pronoun (m'/t'/s'/nous/vous/s') + être in the imperfect (L'Imparfait) + [past participle]
Remember that because of the auxiliary être, the past participle must agree with the subject of the verb.

 

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Examples and resources

Tu t'étais maquillée vite car nous étions en retard.You had put your makeup on fast because we were late.
Les animaux s'étaient enfuis pendant la nuit !The animals had escaped during the night!
Vous vous étiez amusés cette nuit-là ?Had you had fun that night?
Nous nous étions enfin rappelés où c'était, mais c'était trop tard.We'd finally remembered where it was, but it was too late.
Marie s'était habillée dans le noir pour ne pas le réveiller ce jour-là.Marie had got dressed in the dark not to wake him up that day.
Je m'étais trompé de date cette fois-là.I'd got the date wrong that time.
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