Summary French Grammar- Imperfect Tense (A Level)

French Grammar: Past Tense: Imperfect Tense


Imperfect Tense- L'Imparfait


Usage of L'imparfait


●​ Used for descriptions in the past.
○​ Can be used for background action/description which is then
interrupted by the passé composé.
●​ Used for actions repeated over time or for habitual action.
●​ Used when there is a lack of specificity (ie. About when something
occurred, when it started, when it finished, how many times it
happened, etc).
●​ Used for an ongoing state or condition in the past (rather than single,
specific events).




Forming L'imparfait


1.​ Take the 'nous' form of the present tense.
2.​ Remove the '-ons'
3.​ Add endings


Endings


-ais -ions

-ais -iez

-ait -aient

, Examples


AVOIR (from 'avons'):
J'avais, tu avais, il avait, nous avions, vous aviez, ils avaient.


HABITER (from 'habitons'):
J'habitais, tu habitais, il habitait, nous habitions, vous habitiez, ils habitaient.


FAIRE (from 'faisons'):
Je faisais, tu faisais, il faisait, nous faisions, vous faisiez, ils faisaient.


DIRE (from 'disons'):
Je disais, tu disais, il disait, nous disions, vous disiez, ils disaient.




Irregular: 'Être' is the only irregular verb in the past imperfect.


●​ The stem 'ét' is used (instead of 'som' from 'sommes')


●​ J'étais
●​ Tu étais
●​ Il était
●​ Nous étions
●​ Vous étiez
●​ Ils étaient




Orthographic Changes- Changes to Preserve Sound and Pronunciation
●​ Verbs ending in -ger
○​ Need an extra 'e' in the singular and third person plural (every
part except 'nous' and 'vous')