The imparfait
"Was doing" and "used to": the background of the past.
The imparfait describes the past as it was going on: what things were like, what was happening, and what used to happen.
Forms
Take the nous form of the present, drop -ons, and add the endings. Only être has its own stem, ét-.
| parler (nous parlons) | finir (nous finissons) | être | |
|---|---|---|---|
| je | parlais | finissais | étais |
| tu | parlais | finissais | étais |
| il | parlait | finissait | était |
| nous | parlions | finissions | étions |
| vous | parliez | finissiez | étiez |
| ils | parlaient | finissaient | étaient |
parlais, parlait and parlaient all sound the same. Common forms: c'était "it was", il y avait "there was", il faisait "it was (weather)", j'avais "I had".
Imparfait or passé composé
| Imparfait | Passé composé |
|---|---|
| what was going on | what happened |
| descriptions, weather, feelings | events, one after another |
| habits: "used to" | something done once, or a set number of times |
- I was reading when the phone rang.
- When I was little, I used to play football every day.
- The weather was nice, so we went out.
si + imparfait
si "if" with the imparfait makes a suggestion: Si on allait au cinéma ? "How about going to the cinema?" It also starts an unreal condition; see The conditional.
Cards from this guide
8 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Past, future and commands cards.
How is the imparfait formed?
The nous present without -ons, plus -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.
Which verb has its own imparfait stem?
être: j'étais.
How do you say "When I was little, I used to play football"?
Quand j'étais petit, je jouais au foot.
Which past tense sets the scene, and which says what happened?
The imparfait sets the scene; the passé composé tells the events.
How do you say "The weather was nice"?
Il faisait beau.
What does Si on allait au cinéma ? mean?
"How about going to the cinema?"
Which imparfait forms sound the same?
parlais, parlait and parlaient.
How do you say "I wanted to talk to you"?
Je voulais te parler.