Imparfait v Pass Compos Imparfait vs Pass Compos

Imparfait v. Passé Composé

Imparfait vs. Passé Composé The imparfait and the passé composé are both used to express past occurrences, but their uses are distinctly different.

Uses of Passé Composé The passé composé is used to express completed past actions For example: Hier, j ’ai fini ma rédaction d ’anglais. Ce matin, nous avons vu un film dans la classe d ’histoire.

Uses of Passé Composé In these sentences, whether or not it is stated, one could specify an exact time at which the event took place. (à 3 h 15) Hier, j ’ai fini ma rédaction d ’anglais. (à 9 h 36) Ce matin, nous avons vu un film dans la classe d ’histoire.

Uses of Imparfait The imparfait, however, by definition, means imperfect. Its uses are much less clearly defined. They fall into three basic categories: Ä habitual past actions (used to do) Ä continuing past actions (was doing) Ä conditions (non-actions) (did)

Habitual Past Actions An habitual past action is one that occurred repeatedly over a long period of time. For example: We used to play baseball every day. Nous jouions au baseball tous les jours.

Habitual Past Actions Careful! Habitual past actions are not necessarily translated as « used to. . » For example: Quand j ’étais jeune, je me promenais à l ’école tous les jours. might be translated When I was young, I walked to school every day. The key is that the action occurred repeatedly in the past.

Continuing Past Actions The imparfait is also used to express actions that were going on when something else happened. For example: Je faisais la vaiselle quand tu m’as téléphoné. I was doing the dishes when you called me.

Continuing Past Actions When it is used to express a continuing past action, the imparfait is often, but not always, used in combination with the passé composé. Examples: Quand j’ai vu Charles, il parlait avec Georges. Il faisait beau. Le soleil brillait et il y avait une belle brise. (Eventually, an action occurs in a later sentence. )

Conditions (non-actions) There is a class of verbs which do not express action at all. Rather, they express conditions, states of being, or states of mind. When these verbs occur in a past tense, it is almost always the imparfait.

Conditions (non-actions) Some of these verbs are: être avoir vouloir pouvoir savoir désirer connaître penser croire se sentir espérer aimer faire (w/ expressions of weather)

Conditions (non-actions) Examples: non-action Quand j ’avais six ans, j ’aimais jouer au cache-cache. non-action Ce matin, nous ne voulions pas aller à l ’école. non-action Jean ne savait pas faire son devoir, et il était très frustré. non-action

Summary Remember that the passé composé is used to express completed past actions. The imparfait expresses habitual past actions continuing past actions conditions (non-actions)

Test Yourself Complete the following sentences with the appropriate verb form: continuing past action habitait en France quand Anne-Marie ______ (habiter) completed past action s ’est mariée elle _____. (se marier)

Test Yourself completed past action ont quitté Quand ils ______ le château, (quitter) étaient ils _____ fatigués, et il condition (être) faisait _____ très chaud. (faire) condition

Test Yourself completed past action a demandé Le garçon ______ à nos amis (demander) voulaient ce qu ’ils ______ prendre. Ils (vouloir) condition ont commandé une glâce. ______ (commander) completed past action

Test Yourself condition était Quand elle _____ plus jeune, (être) parlait Suzanne ____ français et habitual past action (parler) a oublié anglais. Mais elle _____ completed past action (oublier) l ’anglais.

Test Yourself continuing past action jouait Ma soeur _____ au football (jouer) est tombée quand elle ______ et completed past action (tomber) s ’est foulé ______ la cheville. (se fouler) completed past action

Test Yourself condition avais Quand j ’_____ neuf ans, (avoir) habitais j ’ _____ à Paris, et j(e) (habiter) condition prenais _____ le métro tous les jours. (prendre) habitual past action