Forming the French Imperfect Tense: A Step-by-Step Guide

The French imperfect tense (imparfait) is essential for describing ongoing or habitual past actions. This guide will walk you through its formation and usage, helping you enhance your French narrative skills.

How to Form the Imperfect Tense

Forming the imperfect tense in French is relatively straightforward:

1. Start with the "nous" form of the present tense.
2. Remove the -ons ending.
3. Add the imperfect endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.

For example, with the verb "parler" (to speak):

• Nous parlons (present) → parl- (stem)
• J'parlais, tu parlais, il/elle/on parlait, nous parlions, vous parliez, ils/elles parlaient

Common Uses of the Imperfect

The imperfect tense is used to describe:

1. Habitual actions in the past Example: "Quand j'étais petit, je jouais souvent au parc." (When I was little, I often played in the park.)

2. Ongoing situations in the past Example: "Il pleuvait quand je suis sorti." (It was raining when I went out.)

3. Descriptions of people, places, or things in the past Example: "La maison était grande et belle." (The house was big and beautiful.)

Irregular Verbs in the Imperfect

Most verbs follow the regular pattern, but some common irregular verbs include:

• Être (to be): j'étais, tu étais, il/elle/on était, nous étions, vous étiez, ils/elles étaient
• Avoir (to have): j'avais, tu avais, il/elle/on avait, nous avions, vous aviez, ils/elles avaient

Practice Exercise

Try conjugating these verbs in the imperfect:

1. Finir (to finish)
2. Aller (to go)
3. Faire (to do/make)

Remember, practice makes perfect when learning new tenses. Use the imperfect in your everyday French conversations to become more comfortable with it.