imperfect tense

When is the imperfect used

1) general description in the past

2) continuos or interrupted action in the past

3) repeated habitual action in the past

how to form imperfect

nous form in present without ons (stem) + add imperfect endings

what is the stem of etre in imperfect

ét

what are the 5 further uses of imperfect tense?

1) imperfect of être en train de+ infinitive (j'étais en train de me lever= I was in the middle of getting up)

2)with depuis meaning 'had been doing' (its attendaient depuis une heure= they had been waiting for an hour)

3) imperfect of venire de+infinitive to say 'had just done' (nous venions d'arriver= we had just arrived

4) after is when main verb is in conditional (is j'avais plus de temps je passerais mes vacances en france= if I had more time I would spend my holidays in france)

5) after 'si' when making a suggestion (si on sortait ce soir?= what if we went out this evening)

it was good

il etait beau

I was watching tv when

je regardais la tele quand

i used to/would play netball

je jouais au netball

je

ais

tu

ais

il/elle

ait

nous

ions

vous

iez

ils/elles

aient

I was in the middle of getting up

j'étais en train de me lever

they had been waiting for an hour

ils attendaient depuis une heure

we had just arrived

nous venions d'arriver

if I had more time I would spend my holidays in france

si j'avais plus de temps je passerais mes vacances en france

what if we went out this evening

si on sortait ce soir?

I was studying when he arrived

J’étudiais quand il est arrivé.

We used to go to the beach every summer.

Nous allions à la plage chaque été.

she didnt like the story

Elle n’aimait pas l’histoire.

When I was younger, I watched cartoons.

Quand j’étais plus jeune, je regardais des dessins animés.

difference between other past tenses

passe composee- completed actions

plus-que-parfait- further in the past

imparfait- repeated/ongoing