Imperfect Flashcards
The imperfect tense is used to describe an ______ condition or a _________ or ________ action in the past.
ongoing, repeated, incomplete
It is formed by adding the imperfect _________ to the imperfect ______.
endings, stem
The stem is found by dropping the -_____ ending from the present tense _______ form.
ons, nous
1st person singular imperfect tense ending (je)
ais
2nd person singular imperfect tense ending (tu)
ais
3rd person singular imperfect tense ending (il, elle, on)
ait
1st person plural imperfect tense ending (nous)
ions
2nd person plural imperfect tense ending (vous)
iez
3rd person plural imperfect tense ending (ils, elles)
aient
parler imperfect conjugation
je parlais tu parlais il/elle/on parlait nous parlions vous parliez ils/elles parlaient
finir imperfect conjugation
je finissais tu finissais il/elle/on finissait nous finissions vous finissiez ils/elles finissaient
rendre imperfect conjugation
je rendais tu rendais il/elle/on rendait nous rendions vous rendiez ils/elles rendaient
manger imperfect conjugation
je mangeais tu mangeais il/elle/on mangeait nous mangions vous mangiez ils/elles mangeaient
commencer imperfect conjugation
je commençais tu commençais il/elle/on commençait nous commencions vous commenciez ils/elles commençaient
être imperfect conjugation
j'étais tu étais il/elle/on était nous étions vous étiez ils/elles étaient
The imperfect tense focuses on past actions or conditions as processes rather than as completed events. It emphasizes the action or condition itself rather than its beginning or end. One use of the imperfect is to express ________ or _________ actions in the past.
repeated, ongoing
The imperfect is also used to _________ things and people in the past.
describe
The passé composé, in contrast, to the imperfect, expresses _______ actions and events that were started and ________ at a specific time in the past.
specific, completed
The imperfect and passé composé can appear in the same sentence. The imperfect provides the background for the event stated in the passé composé. In such instances, the imperfect may describe ______, _______, or an action that was _______ when another event happened.
time, weather, ongoing
to drizzle
bruiner
to be windy
faire du vent
to freeze
geler
to snow
neiger
to thunder
tonner
to hail
grêler
It had been
il y avait
Other way to say it had been
Ça faisait
He knew (savoir) the address.
Il savait l’adresse. (imparfait)
He found out (savoir) the address.
Il a su l’adresse. (passé composé)
Did you know (connaître) my neighbor?
Tu connaissais mon voisin? (imperfect)
Did you meet (connaître) my neighbor?
Tu as connu mon voisin? (passé composé)
He couldn’t (pouvoir) go out. (It was hard for him.)
Il ne pouvait pas sortir. (imperfect)
He couldn’t (pouvoir) go out (although he tried).
Il n’a pas pu sortir. (passé composé)
I wanted (vouloir) to leave.
Je voulais partir. (imperfect)
I tried (vouloir) to leave.
J’ai voulu partir. (passé composé)
I didn’t want (vouloir) to leave.
Je ne voulais pas partir. (imperfect)
I refused (vouloir) to leave.
Je n’ai pas voulu partir. (passé composé)
She was (avoir) hungry.
Elle avait faim. (imperfect)
She got (avoir) hungry.
Elle a eu faim. (passé composé).
