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L'imparfait

L'imparfait is a past tense in French used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past or to provide background information. It is formed by taking the nous form of the present tense verb, removing -ons, and adding imparfait endings. It expresses habits, routines, simultaneous actions, descriptions, and states of being in the past. Some verbs are irregular in l'imparfait, like être which is conjugated as j'étais.

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82 views

L'imparfait

L'imparfait is a past tense in French used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past or to provide background information. It is formed by taking the nous form of the present tense verb, removing -ons, and adding imparfait endings. It expresses habits, routines, simultaneous actions, descriptions, and states of being in the past. Some verbs are irregular in l'imparfait, like être which is conjugated as j'étais.

Uploaded by

Mthulisi
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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L'imparfait is one of the past tenses in the French language.

It is used to describe ongoing or


repeated actions in the past, as well as to set the scene or provide background information.

Here are some key points to keep in mind about l'imparfait:

1. Formation: To conjugate a verb in l'imparfait, you generally take the nous form of the present
tense, remove the -ons ending, and add the appropriate imparfait endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -
iez, -aient). For example, for the verb "parler" (to speak), the imparfait conjugation is: je parlais,
tu parlais, il/elle/on parlait, nous parlions, vous parliez, ils/elles parlaient.

2. Ongoing actions: L'imparfait is used to describe actions that were ongoing or habitual in the
past. For example: "Quand j'étais jeune, je jouais au football tous les weekends" (When I was
young, I used to play football every weekend).

3. Background information: L'imparfait is often used to provide background information or to


set the scene in a narrative. It helps create a sense of atmosphere or describe the circumstances
surrounding an event. For example: "Il faisait froid et il pleuvait lorsque je suis arrivé à la gare"
(It was cold and raining when I arrived at the train station).

4. Simultaneous actions: L'imparfait is also used to describe actions that were happening
simultaneously in the past. In such cases, the imparfait is used for both actions. For example:
"Pendant que je lisais, elle regardait la télévision" (While I was reading, she was watching TV).

5. Descriptions and states of being: L'imparfait is used to describe physical and emotional states
in the past. For example: "Il était fatigué" (He was tired), "J'avais peur" (I was scared).

6. Expressing polite requests: L'imparfait can be used to express polite requests or soften
requests. For example: "Je voulais vous demander si vous pourriez m'aider" (I wanted to ask you
if you could help me).

7. Verbs that are irregular in l'imparfait: While most verbs follow the regular conjugation rules,
there are some irregular verbs in l'imparfait. For example, the verb "être" (to be) is conjugated
as: j'étais, tu étais, il/elle/on était, nous étions, vous étiez, ils/elles étaient.

Additional notes
Duration in the past: L’imparfait is used to indicate the duration of an action or state in the
past. It emphasizes that the action or state was ongoing or in progress. For example: “Je
lisais pendant des heures” (I used to read for hours).

1. Expressing habits and routines: L’imparfait is commonly used to describe habits and
routines in the past. It expresses actions that were repeated regularly or things that used
to happen. For example: “Tous les jours, je me promenais dans le parc” (Every day, I used
to take a walk in the park).

2. Age and time in the past: When talking about someone’s age or referring to a specific
time in the past, l’imparfait is used. For example: “Quand j’avais dix ans” (When I was
ten years old), “Il était onze heures du soir” (It was eleven o’clock at night).

3. Interrupted actions: L’imparfait is used to describe actions that were interrupted by


another action in the past. The interrupting action is usually expressed using the passé
composé or another past tense. For example: “Je mangeais quand le téléphone a sonné”
(I was eating when the phone rang).

4. Descriptions in the past: L’imparfait is used to provide descriptions of people, places, or


things in the past. It sets the background and gives details about the scene. For example:
“La maison était grande et lumineuse” (The house was big and bright).

5. Expressing hypothetical situations: L’imparfait is also used to express hypothetical


situations or conditions in the past. It is often used with the conjunction “si” (if). For
example: “Si j’avais de l’argent, je voyagerais autour du monde” (If I had money, I would
travel around the world).

6. Verbs with stem changes: Some verbs have stem changes in l’imparfait. The stem vowel
may change in the first, second, and third person singular forms. For example, the verb
“prendre” (to take) is conjugated as: je prenais, tu prenais, il/elle/on prenait, nous
prenions, vous preniez, ils/elles prenaient.

Remember that l’imparfait is one of the two main past tenses in French, the other being the
passé composé. While l’imparfait describes ongoing or repeated actions in the past, the passé
composé is used for completed actions.

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