Verb Tenses

Question 1

1. Le Présent de l’indicatif

Answer 1

Present

a. An action or a state of being at the present time
b. Habitual action
c. A general truth, something which is permanently true
d. Vividness when talking or writing about past events. Historical Present.
e. A near future.
f. An action or state of being that occurred in the past and continues up to the present. (usually with depuis).

Question 2

2. L’Imparfait de l’indicatif

Answer 2

Past tense

a. An action that was going on in the past at the same time as another action.
b. An action that was going on in the past when another action occurred.
c. An action that a person did habitually in the past.
d. A description of a mental or physical condition in the past.
e. An action or state of being that occurred in the past and lasted for a certain length of time prior to another past action.

Question 3

3. Le Passé simple

Answer 3

Past Tense
Literary Use only
Tense No. 8

Question 4

4. Le Futur

Answer 4

Future Tense

Used to express an action or a state of being which will take place at some time in the future.

Question 5

5. Le Conditionnel présent

Answer 5

Conditional / Present

a. An action that you would do if something else were possible.
b. A conditional desire. Courtesy.
c. An obligation or duty (devoir, pouvoir)

Question 6

6. Le Présent du subjonctif

Answer 6

Subjective / Present

a. Used to express a command
b. English, used to express a condition contrary to fact.
c. After a verb that expresses some kind of insistence, preference, or suggestion
d. In French, after a verb that expresses doubt, fear, joy, sorrow, or some other emotion.
e. In French, after certain conjunctions.
f. In French, after certain impersonal expressions that show a need, doubt, possibility or impossibility.

Question 7

7. L’Imparfait du subjonctif

Answer 7

Subjective / Past
Literary Tense
Much like 6 (after certain verbs conjunctions, and impersonal expressions).
Past action, not completed.

Question 8

8. Le Passé composé

Answer 8

Past / Compound

Single action in the past.

Question 9

9. Le Plus-que-parfait de l’indicatif

Answer 9

Past / Compound
Expresses an action that occurred in the past before another past action.
Other action is either in 8, or 2.

Question 10

10. Le Passé antérieur

Answer 10

Past / Compound
Literary Tense
Much like 9 (action before another action in the past)

Question 11

11. Le Futur antérieur

Answer 11

Future / Compound
In French, not always in English
A future action which will happen before another future action.

Question 12

12. Le Conditionnel passé

Answer 12

Conditional / Past / Compound

Used to express an action that you would have done if something else had been possible (in the past)

Question 13

13. Le Passé du subjonctif

Answer 13

Subjective / Past / Compound
In French, not English
A past or future action in relation to the present.
Used after certain verbs, conjunctions, or impersonal expressions.

Question 14

14. Le Plus-que-parfait du subjonctif

Answer 14

Subjective / Past / Compound
Literary Tense
Much like no. 7 (after certain verbs, conjunctions, impersonal expressions) except action was completed.

Question 15

L’Impératif

Answer 15

Command or Request

Not a tense. It is a mood.