French grammar
A dit que + plus-que-parfait (avais / avait + participe)
Report what someone said they had already done.
From the scene Il a dit qu'il l'avait fait (He said he had done it)
In short
Reporting a past action after a past verb: the passé composé becomes the plus-que-parfait: tu as dit que tu avais tout fait.
Your turn
Which one goes with you had carried up?
Options: tu as dit que tu avais tout fait · tu avais descendu · tu avais monté
Show answer
you had carried up → tu avais monté
How it works
When you report something someone said they did or have done, the verb goes back to the plus-que-parfait (avais / avait + past participle).
Good to know
« j'ai monté les cartons » → tu as dit que tu avais monté les cartons.
Good to know
Watch the agreement: when a direct object pronoun comes before avoir, the participle agrees with it — que tu n'avais pas cassée (l'assiette, feminine).
you said you had done it all tu as dit que tu avais tout fait
you had carried up tu avais monté
Javi
Oui. Tu as dit que tu avais monté tous les cartons.
Yes. You said you had carried up all the boxes.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Oui. Tu as dit que (blank) tous les cartons.
Options: tu avais monté · tu as dit que tu avais tout fait · tu avais descendu
Show answer
Javi
Oui. Tu as dit que tu avais monté tous les cartons.
Yes. You said you had carried up all the boxes.
you had brought down tu avais descendu
Nuria
Tu as aussi dit que tu avais descendu la vieille lampe.
You also said you had brought down the old lamp.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Tu as aussi dit que (blank) la vieille lampe.
Options: tu avais monté · tu avais descendu · tu as dit que tu avais tout fait
Show answer
Nuria
Tu as aussi dit que tu avais descendu la vieille lampe.
You also said you had brought down the old lamp.
you hadn't broken it (fem.), supposedly tu ne l'avais pas cassée, soi-disant
Javi
Et l'assiette, tu ne l'avais pas cassée, soi-disant ?
And the plate you supposedly hadn't broken?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Et l'assiette, (blank) ?
Options: tu as dit que tu avais tout fait · tu avais monté · tu ne l'avais pas cassée, soi-disant
Show answer
Javi
Et l'assiette, tu ne l'avais pas cassée, soi-disant ?
And the plate you supposedly hadn't broken?
I had dreamt it je l'avais rêvé
Tomás
D'accord... j'ai dit que je l'avais fait parce que je l'avais rêvé.
All right... I said I'd done it because I'd dreamt it.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
D'accord... j'ai dit que je l'avais fait parce que (blank).
Options: tu as dit que tu avais tout fait · tu avais monté · je l'avais rêvé
Show answer
Tomás
D'accord... j'ai dit que je l'avais fait parce que je l'avais rêvé.
All right... I said I'd done it because I'd dreamt it.
Common mistake
Not aies or aurais here. Tu; "you had done".
Tomás, il y a une heure tu as dit que tu avais déjà tout fait.
Tomás, an hour ago you said you had already done it all.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| you said you had done it all | tu as dit que tu avais tout fait |
|---|---|
| you had carried up | tu avais monté |
| you had brought down | tu avais descendu |
| you hadn't broken it (fem.), supposedly | tu ne l'avais pas cassée, soi-disant |
| I had dreamt it | je l'avais rêvé |
More lines from the story
- NuriaTomás, il y a une heure tu as dit que tu avais déjà tout fait.Tomás, an hour ago you said you had already done it all.
- TomásEuh... j'ai dit ça ?Uh... I said that?