Indicatif: Imparfait

Question 1

What English verb tenses does l’imparfait correspond to?

Answer 1

The simple past and the past progressive.

Question 2

What other English structures of speaking about the past does l’imparfait translate to?

Answer 2

• used to
• would

Question 3

Is l’imparfait used more common in written French or spoken French?

Answer 3

Written French.

Question 4

What do “perfect” and “imperfect” mean with regard to grammatical tenses?

Answer 4

• Perfect = a completed action or state of being
• Imperfect = an incomplete (ongoing) action or state of being

Question 5

Use l’imparfait for descriptions (of age, feelings, health, time, the weather, etc.):

• Quand j’avais six ans, j’étais souvent malade et j’étais heureux de passer du temps seul.

Answer 5

When I was six years old, I was often sick and I was happy to spend time alone. (avoir, être)

Question 6

Use l’imparfait for habitual actions or states of being:

• Je m’ennuyais souvent.

Answer 6

I was often bored. (ennuyer)

Question 7

Use l’imparfait for actions or states of being with unspecified endings:

• J’allais au parc parce que je voulais me promener.

Answer 7

I was going to the park because I wanted to take a walk.

Question 8

Use l’imparfait for background information:

• Où étais-tu quand tu as appris la nouvelle ? J’étais au bureau.

Answer 8

Where were you (in.) when you heard the news? I was at the office.

Question 9

Use l’imparfait for indirect speech:

• Il m’a dit qu’il allait à la banque.

Answer 9

He told me he was going to the bank. (aller)

Question 10

Use l’imparfait for most verbs followed by the infinitive:

*J’allais te téléphoner.
* Je voulais vous poser une question.

Answer 10

I was going to call you. (aller)
I wanted/would like to ask you (for.) a question. (vouloir)

Question 11

Use l’imparfait for repeated or simultaneously occuring actions in the past:

• Tous les jours, il faisait un gâteau avec son amie Florence.

Answer 11

Every day he made a cake with his friend Florence. (faire)

Question 12

Use l’imparfait after “si” to express something unreal or unknown in the present or the future:

• Si seulement je gagnais au loto !
• Si on allait au ciné demain ?

In this exceptional case, l’imparfait is not a past tense.

Answer 12

If only I won the lottery! (gagner)
How about going to the movies tomorrow? (aller)

Question 13

J’ai dû arrêter de bleaché mes cheveux parce que je les abîmais.

abîmer: to damage; to spoil; to ruin

Answer 13

I had to stop bleaching my hair because I was damaging it. (abîmer)

abîmer: to damage; to spoil; to ruin

Question 14

Je ne t’ai pas dit parce que tu travaillais tard hier soir.

travailler: to work; to knead; to work on

Answer 14

I didn’t tell you because you were working late last night. (travailler)

travailler: to work; to knead; to work on

Question 15

Il partageait souvent ses collations à l’école.

partager: to share; to divide

Answer 15

He often shared his snacks at school. (partager)

partager: to share; to divide

Question 16

Deborah nous a vus ensemble alors que nous montions les escaliers.

monter: to go up; assemble; bring up; come up; set up; put up; take up

Answer 16

Deborah saw us together when we were going up the stairs. (monter)

monter: to go up; assemble; bring up; come up; set up; put up; take up

Question 17

Vous chantiez si bien.

chanter: to sing

Answer 17

You (for.) were singing so well. (chanter)

chanter: to sing

Question 18

Ils corrigaient les erreurs de la machine la nuit dernière.

corriger: to grade; to correct; to modify; to adjust (an estimate)

Answer 18

They were correcting the machine’s errors last night. (corriger)

corriger: to grade; to correct; to modify; to adjust (an estimate)

Question 19

J’accomplissais tellement de choses à un si jeune âge.

accomplir: to carry out; to achieve; to accomplish; to fulfill

Answer 19

I was accomplishing so many things at such a young age. (accomplir)

accomplir: to carry out; to achieve; to accomplish; to fulfill

Question 20

La congrégation s’est agenouillée pendant que tu les bénissais.

bénir: to bless

Answer 20

The congregation knelt while you (in.) were blessing them. (bénir)

bénir: to bless

Question 21

Chaque jour, il guérissait un peu plus.

guérir: to recover; to cure; to heal

Answer 21

Every day he healed a little bit more. (guérir)

guérir: to recover; to cure; to heal

Question 22

Je ne sais pas pourquoi elle avait mal au ventre ; nous lui nourrissions des aliments sains tous les jours.

nourrir: to feed; to breastfeed; to cherish (hope; figurative)

Answer 22

I don’t know why she got a stomach ache; we were feeding her healthy food every day. (nourrir)

nourrir: to feed; to breastfeed; to cherish (hope; figurative)

Question 23

La dernière fois que nous vous avons interviewé, vous grossissez pour le competition.

grossir: to put on weight; to grow (fig.); to swell (river)

Answer 23

The last time we interviewed you, you (for.) were putting on weight for the competition. (grossir)

grossir: to put on weight; to grow (fig.); to swell (river)

Question 24

Ils obéissaient aux ordres que leur donnait le commandant.

obéir: to obey

Answer 24

They were obeying the orders given to them by the commander. (obeir)

obéir: to obey

Question 25

J’étendais le linge tous les matins avant le déjeuner.

étendre: to spread; to hang (laundry)

Answer 25

I would hang the laundry every morning before breakfast. (étendre)

étendre: to spread; to hang (laundry)

Question 26

Tu me rendais le livre parce qu’il ne te plaisait pas.

rendre: to give back; to take back; to return; to free

Answer 26

You (in.) were giving me back the book because you didn’t like it. (rendre)

*in this sentence “redonnais” would be more common

rendre: to give back; to take back; to return; to free

Question 27

Je ne le croyais pas quand il prétendait s’y connaître en voitures.

croire: to believe
prétendre: to claim

Answer 27

I didn’t believe him when he was claiming to know about cars. (croire, prétendre)

croire: to believe
prétendre: to claim

Question 28

À l’époque, nous restreignions le nombre de candidatures car nous en recevions trop.

restreindre: to restrict; to limit

Answer 28

At that time, we were limiting the number of applicants because we were getting too many. (restreindre)

restreindre: to restrict; to limit

Question 29

Vous dépendiez trop du gouvernement pour que les choses soient faites à votre place.

dépendre: to depend on; to take down

Answer 29

You (for.) were depending too much on the government to get things done for you. (dépendre)

dépendre: to depend on; to take down

Question 30

D’après les documents qu’elle a trouvés, ils pendaient les criminels avant le lever du soleil.

pendre: to hang (more commonly for execution than for objects)

Answer 30

According to the documents she found, they were hanging the criminals before sunrise. (pendre)

pendre: to hang (more commonly for execution than for objects)