Comprehensive French Grammar Review: Past Tenses and the Conditional Mood

The Passe Compose

  • Definition and Usage     - Used for actions in the past that are completed and over.     - It implies a definite starting point and a definite ending point.     - It stands in contrast to the imparfait, which is used for actions that stretch or lack a specific duration.

  • Structure and Components     - The passe compose is a compound tense (as its name indicates).     - It requires two elements:         1. Auxiliary Verb: Either avoir or etre (also known as "tool verbs").         2. Past Participle: The specific version of the action verb being used.

  • Selection of Auxiliary Verbs     - Most Verbs: Use avoir as the auxiliary verb.     - Verbs of Motion and Stasis: Use etre. These are often memorized using the acronym DR & MRS VANDERTRAMP.     - Pronominal Verbs: Always use etre. These include:         - Reflexive Verbs: Things you do to yourself.         - Reciprocal Verbs: Things done mutually to one another.     - Contextual Auxiliary Changes: Some verbs can use either avoir or etre depending on the transitive/intransitive nature of the action.         - Example: The verb monter.             - Use etre if the subject is the person moving (e.g., "I went up the stairs").             - Use avoir if the person is taking an object somewhere (e.g., "I took the suitcase up the stairs").

  • Formation of Past Participles     - ER Verbs: Drop the ER and add -$9 (e.g., parler becomes parl9).     - IR Verbs: Drop the R to produce −i-i (e.g., finir becomes fini).     - RE Verbs: There are two types of RE verbs:         - Verbs like attendre typically end in −u-u.         - Some are irregular, such as comprendre, which becomes compris.     - Irregular Verbs: Some verbs have unique stems that must be memorized (e.g., prendre $→$ pris).

  • Agreement Rules     - Generally, verbs conjugated with etre require gender and number agreement with the subject.     - Verbs conjugated with avoir usually do not have gender/number agreement, but there are exceptions to this rule (to be discussed later).

The Imparfait

  • Definition and Usage     - Used for actions in the past that are ongoing or "stretch."     - Used for descriptions, habits, feelings, and emotions.     - Unlike the pass9 compos9, it does not have a definite start or end point.     - Often translated to English using the forms "I was," "we were," or "there was."

  • Structure     - The imparfait is a simple tense, meaning it only requires one verb (the main verb) rather than an auxiliary.

  • Formation Stepping Stones     - To conjugate the imparfait, follow these steps:         1. Take the nous form of the verb in the present tense.         2. Drop the -ons ending to find the stem.         3. Add the imparfait endings:             - Je: −ais-ais             - Tu: −ais-ais             - Il/Elle/On: −ait-ait             - Nous: −ions-ions             - Vous: −iez-iez             - Ils/Elles: −aient-aient     - Rationale: While skipping to the infinitive and dropping the last letters works for simple ER verbs, using the "nous" form is essential for maintaining stem regularity across more complex verbs.

Narrating in the Past: Combining Tenses

  • The Multi-Tense Approach     - Effective storytelling requires the combination of pass9 compos9 and imparfait.     - Imparfait provides the background details (the setting, the weather, what was happening generally).     - Pass9 compos9 describes the specific events that occurred within that background.

  • Conceptual Example: An Accident     - Background (Imparfait): My mom was calling me non-stop; it was raining.     - Specific Event (Pass9 Compos9): Then I snapped; I got in an accident.

Le Conditionnel (The Conditional Mood)

  • Classification     - While often called a tense, the conditional is technically a mood (like the indicative or the subjunctive).     - It represents a specific state of mind rather than just a point in time.

  • Usage     - Used to talk about hypothetical situations ("if-then" scenarios).     - Corresponds to the English words "would," "could," or "should."

  • Formation     - Components: Use the entire verb (the future stem) plus the imparfait endings.     - ER Verbs: Use the full infinitive + endings (e.g., parler $→$ parlerais).     - IR Verbs: Use the full infinitive + endings (e.g., finir $→$ finirais).     - RE Verbs: Chop off the final "e" before adding endings (e.g., attendre $→$ attendrais).

  • Irregular Stems     - Irregular verbs use specific stems that are the same as their future tense stems:         - Venir → viendr-         - etre → ser-         - Avoir → aur-         - Faire → fer-

  • Si-Clauses (If Clauses)     - The conditional is frequently paired with a Si clause.     - Structure: Si + Imparfait → Conditionnel.     - The Si clause can appear at the beginning or the end of the sentence.     - Example: "If I won the lottery (imparfait), I would buy a boat (conditional)."

Questions & Discussion

  • Question on Accents: A student asked if the accent always stays on the first "e" in verbs. The instructor confirmed that in the context of the passe compose of ER verbs, the accent is on the -$9 . The instructor noted a personal "cringey" pet peeve regarding names with two "e"s where the accent is placed incorrectly.

  • Clarification on the "Nous" Step: A student asked why one should bother taking the "nous" form for imparfait instead of just dropping the ER. The instructor explained that for irregular and IR verbs, the "nous" form (e.g., finissons) provides the correct stem that simply dropping endings from the infinitive would miss.

  • Anecdotes and Class Participation:     - Personal Transitions: One student mentioned getting braces as a significant past event.     - Personality Traits: A student described being very shy in the past using the imparfait.     - 80s Fashion: The instructor recounted wearing "Moon Boots," a brand of wide snow shoes popular in the 1980s.     - Famous Figures: There was a brief mention of a Spanish actress whom the students could Google (implied to be Penelope Cruz based on the context of the exercise).

  • Expectations for Oral Answers: A student asked about the expected length of answers. The instructor replied that if the student provides a complete delivery, no follow-up questions are needed. Follow-up questions are primarily used to prompt the student to use the passe compose or other specific target tenses.