The pluperfect tense in Latin is formed in 3 steps: 1) Find the perfect stem by removing the "-i" from the 3rd principal verb part. 2) Add "era" to the perfect stem. 3) Add the personal endings used in the imperfect tense. The pluperfect is always translated to English using the word "had", such as "amaveram" meaning "I had loved". Even irregular verbs like "sum" and "possum" follow this formation pattern to create their pluperfect forms.

1. Pluperfect Tense Chapter 17

2. 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-

3. Forming the Pluperfect: Step 2 Add the letters “era” to the perfect stem. Example: amavera-

4. Forming the Pluperfect: Step 3 Add the personal endings. (Use the same ones you used for the imperfect.) -m, -s, -t, -mus, -tis, -nt

5. Example Amo, amare, amavi, amatus

6. Example Duco, ducere, duxi, ductus

7. 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

8. 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.

9. Sum, esse, fui

10. Possum, posse, potui