L’imparfait ~ the imperfect tense

L’imparfait is a past tense.Whereas the passé composé (also a past tense) is used to recount events

• which occurred in the past• and are completed,

examples

1. Les montagnes étaient couvertes deneige.

The mountains were covered with snow.

2. L’année dernière j’allais chez mes grands- parents tous les week-ends.

Last year I used to go to my grandparentsplace every wee!end.

". Quand je regardais la télé ma mère estrentrée.

While I was watching T# my mother camehome.

$ormation o% l’imparfait

$or all ver&s except être

1. ta!e the 'nous %orm o% the present tense2. drop the 'ons to get the stem o% the ver&". add the imparfait endings

*xamples+

. dormir 

1. ta!e the 'nous %orm o% the present tense - 'nous dormons”2. drop the 'ons - “dorm” - this is the stem o% the ver&". add the imparfait endings

 e dormais I was sleeping, I used to sleep!u dormais ou were sleeping, you used to sleep

"l#elle#on dormait /e0she0one was sleeping, he0she0one used to sleep

$ous dormions We were sleeping, we used to sleep

%ous dormiez ou (plural) were sleeping, you used to sleep"ls#elles dormaient They were sleeping, they used to sleep

 

the imparfait is used

&. %or descriptions'. to tal! a&out repeated events in the past (events which used to happen)(. to descri&e an event which was happening (l’imparfait) when it was interrupted &y

another event (le passé composé)

 

. )tre - the stem o% )tre is 'ét

 ’étais I was, I used to &e!u étais ou were, you used to &e

"l#elle#on était /e0she0one was, he0she0one used to &e

$ous étions We were, we used to &e

%ous étiez ou (plural) were, you used to &e

"ls#elles étaient They were, they used to &e

ore examples+

endings avoir aimer finir entendre

 e   ais 3avais 3aimais 3e %inissais 3entendais!u   ais Tu avais Tu aimais Tu %inissait Tu entendais"l#elle#on   ait Il avait Il aimait Il %inissait Il entendait$ous   ions 4ous avions 4ous aimions 4ous %inissions 4ous entendions%ous   iez #ous avie5 #ous aimie5 #ous %inissie5 #ous entendie5"ls#elles   aient Ils avaient Ils aimaient Ils %inissaient Ils entendaient

46T*7+

1. $or some ver&s, spelling changes must occur %or correct pronunciation.

• #er&s ending in '-ger  (manger) will need an 'e placed &e%ore the endings which start with an'a, %or example ' e mangeais

• #er&s ending in '-cer  (commencer) will need a 'c cédille placed &e%ore the endings which startwith an 'a, %or example ' e commençais

2. #er&s which end in '-ier  have a stem which ends in 'i. This means that in the 'nous and the'vous %orms they contain a dou&le 'i. This loo!s strange &ut is per%ectly correct. $or example,étudier  (to study) - Nous étudiions * we were studying, we used to study.

". Three ver&s commonly used in descriptions (which you have already met in ear 18) are the ver&s' faire, 'avoir  and ')tre.

• +aire and avoir  are o%ten used in weatherrelated descriptions+ "l faisait ,eau il avait du vent

• /tre is used with ce in sentences such as + 0’était amusant c’était di%%icile

*xercise+ 9omplete the ta&le &elow with the imparfait %or each ver&+

ranger (to tidy) se lever (to get up) crier (to shout)

 e

!u

"l

$ous

%ous

"ls

 

*xercises

. elow are sentences expressing repeated actions. :sing the expression in &rac!ets ;whichindicate continuance< put the sentence into the past tense. 7tart each sentence with 'L’annéedernière... ;%or rules on the position o% adver&s see your 'dver& note in this &oo!<

1. 3e %ais mes devoirs dans le &ureau de mon p=re. ;tou>ours< L’année dernière ........................

...........................................................................................................................

2. on %r=re sort le chien. ;%r?@uemment< .....................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

". a copine et moi, nous nous rencontrons au cin?ma. ;par%ois< ..........................................

...........................................................................................................................

A. 3e mentraBne pour rester en %orme. ;tout le temps< ......................................................

...........................................................................................................................

C. on p=re lit le >ournal avant le dBner. ;souvent< ...........................................................

...........................................................................................................................

D. Eamien aide son p=re avec le >ardinage. ;de temps en temps< ..........................................

...........................................................................................................................

F. a m=re nous pr?pare des crGpes comme dessert. ;@uel@ue%ois< .......................................

...........................................................................................................................

H . 3e vois ma cousine @ui ha&ite en ustralie. ;rarement< ..................................................

...........................................................................................................................

. a sJur est en retard parce @uelle se couche tard K ;tous les lundis< ..................................

...........................................................................................................................

18. 3e me &rosse les dents deux %ois par >our. ;dha&itude< .................................................

...........................................................................................................................

. elow are sentences which involve descriptions o% %eelings, mental activity or conditions. ll o%these are processes which involve duration (not single events which ta!e place and are complete)and so re@uire the use o% the imparfait. ewrite the sentences in the past.

1. 3e ne veux pas sortir. ...........................................................................................

2. #ous regrette5 les >ours pass?s. ...............................................................................

". 4ous pouvons venir tous les samedis. ..........................................................................

A. Il ne sait pas les r?ponses. ......................................................................................

C. *lles croient @ue vous ave5 raison. ............................................................................

 

D. 4ous esp?rons recevoir de &onnes notes. ....................................................................

F. M @uoi pensestu N ................................................................................................

H. 4ous sommes d?sol?s de ne pas pouvoir venir. ..............................................................

...........................................................................................................................

. *lle pr?%=re voyager en avion. .................................................................................

18. 3e le d?sire &eaucoup. .........................................................................................

9. 3oin the %ollowing pairs o% sentences using the correct ver& tenses. The action in the sentence in9olumn is interrupted &y the action in the sentence in 9olumn . :se the word '1uand  to >oin thesentences.

9olumn 9olumn

1. 3e %ais du v?lo. 3e tom&e de mon v?lo.

2. Le pro% parle O son ?l=ve. La cloche sonne.

". 4ous regardons la t?l?. Il y a une panne d?lectricit?.

A. Patrice attend le &us. 7on copain arrive.

C. 3e lis mon livre sur la plage. 3entends un oiseau @ui chante.

D. 3e suis en train denvoyer un texto O ma copine. *lle arrive O la porte.

1. .......................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

2. ........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

". .......................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

A. .......................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

C. .......................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

D. .......................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................