Pluperfect TenseChapter 17

Forming the Pluperfect: Step 1 Forming the pluperfect tense in Latin

is SO easy! Just follow these steps:1. Find the perfect stem. The

perfect stem is found by looking at the third principal part of the verb and removing the –i.

▪ Example: amo, amare, amavi, amatus perfect stem=amav-

Forming the Pluperfect: Step 2

Add the letters “era” to the perfect stem. Example: amavera-

Forming the Pluperfect: Step 3

Add the personal endings. (Use the same ones you used for the imperfect.)

-m, -s, -t, -mus, -tis, -nt

Example

Amo, amare, amavi, amatus

Singular Plural

1st person amaveram amaveramus

2nd person amaveras amaveratis

3rd person amaverat amaverant

Example

Duco, ducere, duxi, ductus

Singular Plural

1st person duxeram duxeramus

2nd person duxeras duxeratis

3rd person duxerat duxerant

Translation of the Pluperfect Always translate the pluperfect with the

word, “had.” Examples:

amo, amare, amavi, amatus ▪ amaveram= I had loved

moneo, monere, monui, monitus ▪ monuerat= he had warned

capio, capere, cepi, captus ▪ ceperamus= we had captured

Pluperfect of sum and possum

Although sum and possum are irregular verbs, the pluperfect is still formed just as any other regular verb would be.

Sum, esse, fui

  Singular Plural

1st person Fueram – I had been

Fueramus- we had been

2nd person Fueras- you had been

Fueratis- you had been

3rd person Fuerat- he had been

Fuerant- they had been

Possum, posse, potui

Singular Plural

1st person Potueram - I had been able

Potueramus - we had been able

2nd person Potueras - you had been able

Potueratis - you had been able

3rd person Potuerat - he had been able

Potuerant - they had been able