Imperfect tense of aller in French

The imperfect tense of "aller" (to go) is an essential part of French grammar. This tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. Let's break down how to form and use the imperfect tense of "aller".

Conjugation of "aller" in the Imperfect Tense

Here's how to conjugate "aller" in the imperfect tense:

• Je allais (I was going)
• Tu allais (You were going)
• Il/Elle/On allait (He/She/One was going)
• Nous allions (We were going)
• Vous alliez (You were going)
• Ils/Elles allaient (They were going)

Usage and Examples

The imperfect tense of "aller" is used in various situations:

1. Describing habitual actions in the past:

   • Quand j'étais petit, j'allais souvent au parc. (When I was little, I often went to the park.)

2. Setting the scene in a story:

   • Il faisait beau et nous allions à la plage. (The weather was nice and we were going to the beach.)

3. Expressing an ongoing action in the past:

   • Pendant que j'allais au travail, j'ai rencontré mon ami. (While I was going to work, I met my friend.)

4. Talking about states of being in the past:

   • À cette époque, tout allait bien dans ma vie. (At that time, everything was going well in my life.)

5. Describing what was happening when something else occurred:

   • J'allais sortir quand le téléphone a sonné. (I was about to go out when the phone rang.)

6. Expressing intentions or plans in the past:

   • Nous allions partir en vacances, mais notre vol a été annulé. (We were going to go on vacation, but our flight was cancelled.)

7. Describing past emotions or feelings:

   • Je n'allais pas bien hier, mais aujourd'hui je me sens mieux. (I wasn't feeling well yesterday, but today I feel better.)

8. Talking about repeated actions in the past:

   • Chaque été, nous allions camper dans les montagnes. (Every summer, we would go camping in the mountains.)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Don't confuse the imperfect with the passé composé. The imperfect is for ongoing or repeated actions, while the passé composé is for completed actions.

2. Remember that "aller" is irregular in the imperfect, so it doesn't follow the usual -er verb patterns.

3. Be careful with pronunciation. The "ai" in "j'allais" is pronounced like the "e" in "bed".

4. Don't forget to use the imperfect when setting the scene in a story, even if you're tempted to use the passé composé.

By mastering the imperfect tense of "aller", you'll be able to express past actions and states with more nuance and accuracy in French. Practice using it in various contexts to become more comfortable with this important aspect of French grammar.