Tense Usages

Question 0

habitual actions

Answer 0

1 Présent de l’indicatif

example: Je vais à la bibliothèque tous les jours. (I go to the library every day.)

Question 1

An action or a state of being in the present time.

Answer 1

1: Présent de l’indicatif

example: je vais à l’école maintenant. (I am going to school now.)

Question 2

A general truth- something which is permanently true

Answer 2

1 Le Présent de l’indicatif

example: Deux et deux font quatre. (Two plus two equals four.)

Question 3

Vividness when talking about past events (this is called the historical present).

Answer 3

1 Présent de l’indicatif

example: Marie-Antoinette est condamnée à mort. Elle monte dans la charrette et est en route pour la guillotine. (Marie-Antoinette is condemned to die. She gets into the cart and is on her way to the guillotine.)

Question 4

A near future

Answer 4

1 Le Présent de l’indicatif

example: Il arrive demain. (He arrives tomorrow.)

Question 5

An action or state of being that occurred in the past and continues up to the present.

Answer 5

1 Le Présent de l’indicatif

example: Je suis ici depuis dix minutes. (I am here (*I have been here) for ten minutes.)
example: Elle est malade depuis trois jours. (She is sick for three days/ *She has been sick for three days)

Question 6

An action that was going on in the past at the same time as another action.

Answer 6

2 L’Imparfait de l’indicatif

example: Il lisait pendant que j’écrivais. (He was reading while I was writing.)

Question 7

An action that was going on in the past when another action occurred.

Answer 7

2 L’Imparfait de l’indicatif