Implicit use of Plus que parfait

Kenneth S.C1Kwiziq community member

Implicit use of Plus que parfait

Most often in the use of pqp, one action precedes another. Sometimes the action the plus-que-parfait precedes will not be explicit, but will be implied in the sentence:

Je m'étais trompé de date cette fois-là.I'd got the date wrong that time.Vous vous étiez amusés cette nuit-là?Had you had fun that night?Both these examples, weakly imply, that you were mistaken and had fun in a prior time.  I find this difficult to think I would be able to discern the need for the pqp in constructing a sentence. Can you please explain this more in depth? Thank you, Ken

Asked 3 years ago
CécileNative French expert teacher in Kwiziq

Hi Kenneth, 

I see your point but as it is exactly the same in English I can only assume that it is because of the use of that night and that time ( as opposed to this night and this time) but others input welcome.

Implicit use of Plus que parfait

Most often in the use of pqp, one action precedes another. Sometimes the action the plus-que-parfait precedes will not be explicit, but will be implied in the sentence:

Je m'étais trompé de date cette fois-là.I'd got the date wrong that time.Vous vous étiez amusés cette nuit-là?Had you had fun that night?Both these examples, weakly imply, that you were mistaken and had fun in a prior time.  I find this difficult to think I would be able to discern the need for the pqp in constructing a sentence. Can you please explain this more in depth? Thank you, Ken

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