Indicatif: Imparfait Flashcards
What English verb tenses does l’imparfait correspond to?
The simple past and the past progressive.
What other English structures of speaking about the past does l’imparfait translate to?
- used to
- would
Is l’imparfait used more common in written French or spoken French?
Written French.
What do “perfect” and “imperfect” mean with regard to grammatical tenses?
- Perfect = a completed action or state of being
- Imperfect = an incomplete (ongoing) action or state of being
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.
When I was six years old, I was often sick and I was happy to spend time alone. (avoir, être)
Use l’imparfait for habitual actions or states of being:
- Je m’ennuyais souvent.
I was often bored. (ennuyer)
Use l’imparfait for actions or states of being with unspecified endings:
- J’allais au parc parce que je voulais me promener.
I was going to the park because I wanted to take a walk.
Use l’imparfait for background information:
- Où étais-tu quand tu as appris la nouvelle ? J’étais au bureau.
Where were you (in.) when you heard the news? I was at the office.
Use l’imparfait for indirect speech:
- Il m’a dit qu’il allait à la banque.
He told me he was going to the bank. (aller)
Use l’imparfait for most verbs followed by the infinitive:
- J’allais te téléphoner.
- Je voulais vous poser une question.
I was going to call you. (aller)
I wanted/would like to ask you (for.) a question. (vouloir)
Use l’imparfait for repeated or simultaneously occuring actions in the past:
- Tous les jours, il faisait un gâteau avec son amie Florence.
Every day he made a cake with his friend Florence. (faire)
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.
If only I won the lottery! (gagner)
How about going to the movies tomorrow? (aller)
J’ai dû arrêter de me décolorer les cheveux parce que je les abîmais.
abîmer: to damage; to spoil; to ruin
I had to stop bleaching my hair because I was damaging it. (abîmer)
abîmer: to damage; to spoil; to ruin
Je ne t’ai pas dit parce que tu travaillais tard hier soir.
travailler: to work; to knead; to work on
I didn’t tell you because you were working late last night. (travailler)
travailler: to work; to knead; to work on
Il partageait souvent ses collations à l’école.
partager: to share; to divide
He often shared his snacks at school. (partager)
partager: to share; to divide
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
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
Vous chantiez si bien.
chanter: to sing
You (for.) were singing so well. (chanter)
chanter: to sing
Ils corrigaient les erreurs de la machine la nuit dernière.
corriger: to grade; to correct; to modify; to adjust (an estimate)
They were correcting the machine’s errors last night. (corriger)
corriger: to grade; to correct; to modify; to adjust (an estimate)
J’accomplissais tellement de choses à un si jeune âge.
accomplir: to carry out; to achieve; to accomplish; to fulfill
I was accomplishing so many things at such a young age. (accomplir)
accomplir: to carry out; to achieve; to accomplish; to fulfill
La congrégation s’est agenouillée pendant que tu les** bénissais**.
bénir: to bless
The congregation knelt while you (in.) were blessing them. (bénir)
bénir: to bless
Chaque jour, il guérissait un peu plus.
guérir: to recover; to cure; to heal
Every day he healed a little bit more. (guérir)
guérir: to recover; to cure; to heal
Je ne sais pas pourquoi elle avait mal au ventre ; nous lui nourrissions avec des aliments sains tous les jours.
nourrir: to feed; to breastfeed; to cherish (hope; figurative)
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)
La dernière fois que nous vous avons interviewé, vous **grossissiez **pour la compétition.
grossir: to put on weight; to grow (fig.); to swell (river)
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)
Ils obéissaient aux ordres que leur donnait le commandant.
obéir: to obey
They were obeying the orders given to them by the commander. (obeir)
obéir: to obey
J’étendais le linge tous les matins avant le déjeuner.
étendre: to spread; to hang (laundry)
I would hang the laundry every morning before breakfast. (étendre)
étendre: to spread; to hang (laundry)
Tu me rendais le livre parce qu’il ne te plaisait pas.
rendre: to give back; to take back; to return; to free
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
Je ne le croyais pas quand il prétendait s’y connaître en voitures.
croire: to believe
prétendre: to claim
I didn’t believe him when he was claiming to know about cars. (croire, prétendre)
croire: to believe
prétendre: to claim
À l’époque, nous** restreignions** le nombre de candidatures car nous en recevions trop.
restreindre: to restrict; to limit
At that time, we were limiting the number of applicants because we were getting too many. (restreindre)
restreindre: to restrict; to limit
Vous dépendiez trop du gouvernement pour que les choses soient faites à votre place.
dépendre: to depend on; to take down
You (for.) were depending too much on the government to get things done for you. (dépendre)
dépendre: to depend on; to take down
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)
According to the documents she found, they were hanging the criminals before sunrise. (pendre)
pendre: to hang (more commonly for execution than for objects)
