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The imperfect

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An introduction to the imperfect tense 1

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An introduction to the imperfect tense 2

Many of the Boucle d’Or sentences use the imperfect tense of the verb être, meaning was or were.

Many of the Boucle d’Or sentences use the imperfect tense of the verb être, meaning was or were.

You have probably already met this, perhaps when talking about things you have done in the past.

You have probably already met this, perhaps when talking about things you have done in the past.

For example:J’ai visité la Tour Eiffel. C’était très intéressant. –I visited the Eiffel Tower. It was very interesting.

For example:J’ai visité la Tour Eiffel. C’était très intéressant. –I visited the Eiffel Tower. It was very interesting.

Using the imperfect tense of être is also very useful when you are describing what people, objects or activities were like.

Using the imperfect tense of être is also very useful when you are describing what people, objects or activities were like.

For example:Quand j’étais petite, j’étais timide et nerveuse. Maintenant je suis travailleuse et sûre de moi!

For example:Quand j’étais petite, j’étais timide et nerveuse. Maintenant je suis travailleuse et sûre de moi!

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J’

Tu

Il/elle

Nous

Vous

Ils/elles

étais

étais

était

étions

étiez

étaient

I was / used to be

he/she was / used to be

you were / used to be

we were / used to be

you were / used to be

they were / used to be

Être in the imperfect tense 1

Here is the verb être in full in the imperfect tense.

Here is the verb être in full in the imperfect tense.

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Être in the imperfect tense 2

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describes something that happened frequently or regularly in the past

Uses of the imperfect tense 1

Whereas the perfect tense describes a single completed action in the past, the imperfect tense...

Whereas the perfect tense describes a single completed action in the past, the imperfect tense...

is used for descriptions in the past, such as describing what the weather was like or giving your opinion of something you did

tells us what something used to be like

describes something that went on for a long period of time

is used to translate was …ing and were …ing.

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Describing something that happened frequently or regularly in the past – for instance:

Quand j’avais 10 ans, je faisais de la natation deux fois par semaine. – When I was 10, I went swimming twice a week.

Uses of the imperfect tense 2

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General descriptions in the past. E.g.: La maison était énorme. –The house was enormous.

Uses of the imperfect tense 3

Describing what the weather was like. E.g.: Hier, il y avait du soleil. –Yesterday it was sunny.

Giving your opinion of something you did. E.g.: J’ai mangé du poulet - c’était délicieux. –I ate some chicken – it was delicious.

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Saying what something used to be like:

Quand j’étais petite, je mangeais beaucoup de bonbons. –When I was small, I used to eat lots of sweets.

Uses of the imperfect tense 4

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Describing something that went on for a long period of time:

Quand j’étais petite, j’habitais à la campagne et nous avions deux chats. –When I was small, I lived in the country and we had two cats.

Uses of the imperfect tense 5

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Was …ing and were …ing

If you want to translate was or were doing something, you must use the imperfect tense. E.g.:

Je faisais mes devoirs quand la prof est entrée dans la salle de classe. –

I was doing my homework when the teacher came in the classroom.

Uses of the imperfect tense 6

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The meaning of the imperfect tense

For example, j’allais could mean…

I wentI used to goI was going

For example, j’allais could mean…

I wentI used to goI was going

The meaning of the imperfect tense changes depending on the context.

The meaning of the imperfect tense changes depending on the context.

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nous jouons

Formation of the imperfect tense 1

1 Take the nous part of the present tense

2 Take away the nous and the -ons ending

3 Add the following endings:

je jouaistu jouaisil jouaitelle jouaitnous jouionsvous jouiezils jouaientelles jouaientje jouaistu jouaisil / elle / on jouaitnous jouionsvous jouiezils / elles jouaient

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E.g. avoir – to have Present tense nous part = nous avons

j’ avaistu avaisil / elle / on avaitnous avionsvous aviezils / elles avaient

Formation of the imperfect tense 2

This method also works for verbs which are irregular in the present tense.

This method also works for verbs which are irregular in the present tense.

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E.g. manger – to eatPresent tense nous part = nous mangeons je mangeaistu mangeaisil / elle / on mangeaitnous mangions (no extra -e needed)vous mangiez (no extra -e needed) ils / elles mangeaient

Formation of the imperfect tense 3

Take care over verbs which take an extra -e in the nous part of the present tense, and in some parts of the imperfect tense in order to make the g sound soft.

Take care over verbs which take an extra -e in the nous part of the present tense, and in some parts of the imperfect tense in order to make the g sound soft.

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E.g. commencer – to startpresent tense nous part = nous commençons je commençaistu commençaisil / elle / on commençaitnous commencions (no -ç needed)vous commenciez (no -ç needed) ils / elles commençaient

Formation of the imperfect tense 4

Similarly, with verbs like commencer, a -ç is needed rather than a c to make the sound soft in some parts of the imperfect tense.

Similarly, with verbs like commencer, a -ç is needed rather than a c to make the sound soft in some parts of the imperfect tense.

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The imperfect tense 1

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The imperfect tense 2

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The perfect & imperfect tenses 1

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The perfect & imperfect tenses 2

The perfect and imperfect tenses are often used together.The perfect tense is used for completed actions in the past.

The perfect and imperfect tenses are often used together.The perfect tense is used for completed actions in the past.

E.g. Nous avons déjeuné dans une petite crêperie.Paul and his friends ate in the crêperie on one particular day of their holiday - now both the meal and the holiday are over.

E.g. Nous avons déjeuné dans une petite crêperie.Paul and his friends ate in the crêperie on one particular day of their holiday - now both the meal and the holiday are over.

The imperfect tense is used for descriptions in the past, weather, regular and repeated actions, ‘was -ing’ and ‘were -ing’ and for giving opinions.

The imperfect tense is used for descriptions in the past, weather, regular and repeated actions, ‘was -ing’ and ‘were -ing’ and for giving opinions.

E.g. La région était très belle.Le terrain de camping était assez petit.Tous les soirs on cuisinait sur le camping-gaz.

E.g. La région était très belle.Le terrain de camping était assez petit.Tous les soirs on cuisinait sur le camping-gaz.

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The perfect & imperfect tenses 3