Le Plus-que-Parfait in French is the direct equivalent of the pluperfect in English. It could be described as "the past of the past":
Already I had had to do it three times when she asked for another revision.
Of course, English speakers are likely to make contractions:
Already I'd had to do it three times when she asked for another revision.
Learn how to conjugate devoir in Le Plus-que-Parfait in French
J'avais dû en racheter un nouveau après que Patrick avait cassé le mien.I'd had to buy a new one after Patrick had broken mine.
Si elle avait dû le faire, vous auriez eu des problèmes.If she'd had to do it, you would have been in trouble.
Note that devoir in the French pluperfect (Le Plus-que-Parfait) follows this construction:
Reminder of how to conjugate avoir in L'Imparfait
j'avais
tu avais
il avait
nous avions
vous aviez
ils avaient
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Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Elles avaient dû repasser l'examen, après qu'elles avaient échoué les trois premières fois!They'd had to take the exam again, after they'd failed the first three times!
Nous avions dû nettoyer la maison avant que mes parents ne vissent le désordre.We'd had to clean the house before my parents saw the mess.
Si elle avait dû le faire, vous auriez eu des problèmes.If she'd had to do it, you would have been in trouble.
