Imperfect

French Imperfect Tense Notes

• Definition: The imperfect tense (l'imparfait) is used to describe actions that were ongoing or habitual in the past, setting a background scene, or describing mental states and physical sensations.

• Formation: To form the imperfect in French, take the nous form of the present tense, drop the ons, and add the imperfect endings:

  • Endings:

    • je: -ais

    • tu: -ais

    • il/elle/on: -ait

    • nous: -ions

    • vous: -iez

    • ils/elles: -aient

• Examples:

  • Habitual Actions: "Quand j'étais jeune, je jouais au football tous les weekends." (When I was young, I used to play soccer every weekend.)

  • Describing Background: "Il faisait beau et les oiseaux chantaient." (It was nice outside and the birds were singing.)

  • Mental States: "Elle avait peur de l'obscurité." (She was afraid of the dark.)

• Common Time Expressions:

  • "tous les jours" (every day),

  • "souvent" (often),

  • "chaque été" (every summer)

• Key Differences: Distinguish from the passé composé, which describes completed actions. Use l'imparfait for ongoing actions or background details while using passé composé for specific events.