French Lessons: The Imperfect Tense (L'Imparfait)

Objective

This is a class note summarizing the introduction and formation of the French imperfect tense (l'imparfait), including its uses, formation, endings, exceptions, and examples.

What is the Imperfect Tense (L'Imparfait)?

• Describes:

  • Past actions that were ongoing or continuous
  • Repeated or habitual actions in the past ("used to")
  • Actions in the past with no definite start or end
  • Past progressive (was/were ...ing)

• Difference from Passé Composé:

  • Passé Composé: Actions completed in the past; specific, over and done.
  • Imparfait: Ongoing, habitual, or unspecific actions in the past.

Common Uses

• Describing:
  • What things were like in the past
  • What used to happen
  • Ongoing past actions or circumstances
• Example phrases:
  • "I used to work there"
  • "We were talking"
  • "When I was young ..."

How to Form the Imperfect

1. Find the Root

• Take the nous form of the present tense, drop "-ons"
  • Example: finir → "nous finissons" → root = finiss-

2. Add Imperfect Endings

| Subject | Ending | | - | -- | | Je | -ais | | Tu | -ais | | Il/Elle | -ait | | Nous | -ions | | Vous | -iez | | Ils/Elles | -aient |

Example with finir ("to finish")

• Je finissais
• Tu finissais
• Il/elle finissait
• Nous finissions
• Vous finissiez
• Ils/elles finissaient

Exception: Être

• Être uses ét- as its root:
  • J'étais
  • Tu étais
  • Il/elle était
  • Nous étions
  • Vous étiez
  • Ils/elles étaient

Example Sentences

1. When I was young, I liked French food.

   • Quand j'étais jeune, j'aimais la nourriture française.
   • Both "étais" and "aimais" are in the imperfect (ongoing states).

2. She used to work at the school.

   • Elle travaillait à l'école.

3. We were cooking dinner when they arrived.

   • Nous préparions le dîner quand ils sont arrivés.
     • "Préparions": Imperfect (ongoing)
     • "sont arrivés": Passé composé (completed event)

Tips

• Use imperfect for:
  • Descriptions of conditions or feelings in the past
  • Repeated or habitual actions in the past
  • Actions that were in progress in the past (was/were ...ing)
• Learn and practice the endings
• Most verbs are regular in the imperfect, except "être"

Resources

• Language Tutor French Podcast
• Teespring Shop (for Language Tutor merchandise)

Closing

• Practice forming and using the imperfect tense; it's essential in conversations.
• For questions, leave a comment below the lesson video.
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