08.09.24: Level 2; the pluperfect tense [1]

From the previous text: a First Latin Reader (Vincent) [19]

Cimbrī et Teutonēs,..., Rōmānōs in pugnīs multīs superāverant

Sed Marius, quem populus Rōmānus imperātōrem creāverat, Teutonēs prope Aquās Sextiās et Cimbrōs prope Vercellās vīcit.

These sentences introduce you to the pluperfect tense, which is the equivalent of the English past perfect i.e. “I had seen” or French “J’avais vu” or German “Ich hatte gesehen”. The pluperfect tense is used to indicate that one action in the past had happened [pluperfect] before another action took place [perfect].

Cimbrī et Teutonēs,..., Rōmānōs in pugnīs multīs superāverant [pluperfect] 

The Cimbri and Teutons ... had defeated the Romans in many battles.

Sed Marius, ¦ quem populus Rōmānus imperātōrem creāverat [pluperfect], ¦ Teutonēs prope Aquās Sextiās et Cimbrōs prope Vercellās vīcit [perfect].

But Marius, ¦ whom the Roman people had chosen as commander, ¦ conquered the Teutons near Aquae Sextiae and the Cimbri near Vercellae.

The pluperfect is used here to indicate that the action of choosing Marius as the commander had taken place before the action of conquering took place.

The pluperfect tense is created from verb forms that have already been covered.

The pluperfect is formed from the perfect tense stem; this is the third principal part of the verb:

labōrō, labōrāre, labōrāvī

[1] perfect tense: labōrāvī: I (have) worked

[2] remove the -ī

[3] perfect tense sten: labōrāv-

[4] To form the pluperfect tense, you add the imperfect tense of the verb ‘to be’ (sum, esse)

labōrāv¦eram │ I had worked

labōrāverās │ you (sg.) had worked

labōrāverat │ he / she / it had worked

labōrāverāmus │ we had worked

labōrāverātis│ you (pl.) had worked

labōrāverant │ they had worked

Image #1: All pluperfect tenses are formed from the perfect tense stem

Irregular verbs also form their pluperfect tense from the perfect stem:

sum, esse, fu¦ī > fu¦eram: I had been

eō, īre, iī > ieram: I had gone

possum, posse, potuī > potueram: I had been able

volō, velle, voluī > volueram: I had wanted

[A] Match the English translations with the pluperfect verbs in word cloud #1

• he / she had praised
• he / she had seen
• I had asked
• I had sat
• they had given
• they had remained
• we had held
• we had sailed
• you (pl.) had attacked
• you (pl.) had ordered
• you (sg.) had lived
• you (sg.) had warned

[B] Match the Latin with the English translations in word cloud #2; all of them need ‘had’

• abierās
• audīveram
• cēperant
• cucurrerāmus
• dīxerat
• dormīverat
• dūxerās
• ēmerant
• fuerāmus
• interfēcerat
• posuerātis
• scrīpseram