havde/var + Past Participle
Pluperfect
The Pluperfect (førdatid) is the 'past of the past.' It describes something that had already occurred by the time another past event took place.
How It Works
The pluperfect is essential for sequencing stories in Danish. It establishes a timeline where one action was completed before another past action occurred.
1. Choosing the Auxiliary Verb
Just like the present perfect, you must choose between havde and var:
- Havde: Used for most verbs, including all transitive verbs (e.g., Jeg havde spist - I had eaten).
- Var: Used with many intransitive verbs when a change of state or arrival/departure is in focus (e.g., Han var gået - He had left).
2. The Past Participle Form
Unlike adjectives, the past participle used to form the pluperfect does not change to agree with the subject. It stays in the neuter singular form (the supinum), even when using var:
- Han var forsvundet (He had disappeared)
- De var forsvundet (They had disappeared)
3. Reported Speech (Backshifting)
In reported speech, the pluperfect is used to report something that was already in the past at the time of speaking. A present perfect (har spist) or simple past (spiste) can shift to the pluperfect (havde spist) when the reported event precedes a past reference point. Backshifting is not an automatic requirement in every report:
Han sagde, at han havde set filmen før. (He said that he had seen the movie before).
4. Narrative Sequencing
Danish often uses the pluperfect to clarify the order of events: Efter han havde spist, gik han.
5. Counterfactuals
This tense is also used in unreal conditions to talk about things that didn't happen: Hvis jeg havde vidst det... (If I had known that...).
Word Order: Main clause: Han havde ikke spist. In an ordinary subordinate clause, the sentence adverb precedes the finite auxiliary: Jeg vidste, at han ikke havde spist. Compare fordi toget ikke var kørt. Activity or Change: Han havde gået i en time focuses on walking; Han var gået hjem describes leaving for home. Learn the auxiliary with the verb and its meaning, not by classifying every movement verb alike.
Examples (4)
- Da vi nåede frem, var toget allerede kørt.
When we arrived, the train had already left.
Word by Word: When we reached forward, was the-train already driven.
Uses 'var' because 'at køre' (to leave/drive) indicates a change of location/state.
- Hun spurgte, om jeg havde læst bogen.
She asked if I had read the book.
Word by Word: She asked, if I had read the-book.
Uses 'havde' because 'at læse' is a transitive verb (it has an object: the book).
- Hvis han havde ringet, var jeg kommet.
If he had called, I would have come.
Word by Word: If he had called, was I come.
A counterfactual example showing the pluperfect used for a hypothetical past situation.
- Jeg havde aldrig set ham før den dag.
I had never seen him before that day.
Word by Word: I had never seen him before that day.
Establishes a state that existed prior to a specific point in the past.
Common Mistakes
Using 'havde' for movement verbs that focus on the result.
Jeg havde gået hjem, da du ringede.Jeg var gået hjem, da du ringede.When 'at gå' implies 'leaving' or arriving at a destination (change of state), you must use 'var'. 'Havde gået' would imply the act of walking as an exercise or duration.
Using the simple past when you mean an earlier completed action.
Different MeaningDa jeg kom, spiste de allerede.Da jeg kom, havde de allerede spist.Both sentences are grammatical but give different timelines. 'Spiste de allerede' means they were already eating when I arrived; it does not mean they started then. 'Havde de allerede spist' puts the completed meal before my arrival.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand the pluperfect (havde/var + participium), you must first be familiar with the past tense of the auxiliary verbs 'have' and 'være', how to form the past participle, and the logic for choosing between the two auxiliaries based on the main verb's meaning.
- var/havdePast of Være and Have
The pluperfect is formed using the past tense forms of the auxiliary verbs 'være' and 'have'.
Level 2 - -et/-tPast Participle -et/-t
The past participle is the core component combined with the auxiliary verb to form the pluperfect.
Level 2 - har / erChoosing Har or Er
The choice between using 'havde' or 'var' in the pluperfect follows the same rules as choosing 'har' or 'er' in the present perfect.
Level 2
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice havde/var + Past Participle in Bubblegum
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