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"Imparfait" in the indicative mode is the standard tense to describe an action happening or that happened in the past, regardless of its start or duration.
The "passé composé" is used mostly to refer to a specific moment, not an action over its whole duration. The "passé simple" isn't used anymore, at least in oral French.
The imparfait may also be used for modal reasons (for instance after a verb in "present", "passé simple" or "passé composé"), and can also be used to describe an hypothetical action.
"Imparfait" in the subjonctive mode is not used in French anymore, because of the ridiculous pedantic sounding ending forms.
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∙ 11y ago
The 'imparfait' tense is a past tense in French used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. It is formed by removing the -ons ending from the present tense nous form, and adding specific endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient). It is often used for setting the scene, describing background information, or expressing habitual actions.
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What is the ending for vous in the imparfait?
The ending for "vous" in the imparfait tense is "-iez". For example, "vous parliez" means "you were talking" in French.
How do you say the past tense for the word had in french?
The past tense for "had" in French is "avait" for the third person singular (il/elle/on), and "avaient" for the third person plural (ils/elles).
When writing a story in French of the past how do you know when to use Imparfait or Passe Compose?
Use the imparfait tense to describe ongoing or habitual past actions, while the passé composé should be used for completed or specific past actions. In general, the imparfait sets the scene or background, and the passé composé indicates a specific event that occurred. Practice and familiarity with both tenses will help you choose the right one for your story.
Why do the french call the past tense the past perfect?
In French, the past perfect tense is called "passé composé," which translates to "compound past" in English. It is different from the past perfect tense in English, which is called "plus-que-parfait" in French. The "plus-que-parfait" in French is used to describe an action that happened before another action in the past.
What is the past tense in French for habiter?
Imparfait : j'habitais (I was living...) tu habitais il, elle habitait nous habitions vous habitiez ils habitaient passé composé : J'ai habité (I had been living) tu as habité il, elle a habité nous avons habité vous avez habité ils, elles ont habité complete conjugations in link below.
What is the French 'imparfait'?
The word 'imparfait' may be an adjective in French. As such, it may mean imperfect, as of an image; incomplete, as of a work; and partial, as of a cure. The word also may be used as a noun. As such, perhaps its most common use is the name of the verb tense that's the French equivalent of the English imperfect. The French imperfect tense may be expressed in the indicative mood [of reality] or the subjunctive mood [of wishes].
How do you say imperfect in french?
imparfait
What does saviez mean?
'saviez' is a form of the verb 'savoir', meaning to know in French ; it is the second person plural at the past tense 'imparfait'. vous saviez: you knew (you plural or formal)
How do you write i had in french?
"j'avais" (imparfait) or "j'ai eu" (passé composé)
How do you say the past tense for the word had in french?
The past tense for "had" in French is "avait" for the third person singular (il/elle/on), and "avaient" for the third person plural (ils/elles).
How do you distinguish between imparfait and passé composé in French?
Imparfait only the verb;pase compose 2 parts avoir or etre & the verb not the infinitive form like I was lookING in Eng in french voir & vu
What is had in French?
"had" is the past tense of "to have", which is the verb "avoir" in French imparfait tense for avoir: j'avais tu avais il avait nous avions vous aviez ils avaient It is one of the two "auxiliary" verbs in French, it enables you to conjugate verbs in composite tenses like plus que parfait or passé composé. auxiliary verbs: to have: avoir to be: être
What is faire masculin past tense in french?
imparfait :je faisaistu faisaisil faisaitnous faisionsvous faisiezils faisaientpassé composé :j'ai faittu as faitil a faitnous avons faitvous avez faitils ont fait
How many tenses may a French verb have?
French verbs can have up to 21 tenses, which includes 8 simple tenses and 13 compound tenses. These tenses help indicate the time at which an action occurs in relation to the present, past, or future.
How do you say it had in french?
There are numerous past tenses in French. "It had" will most likely be imperfect (imparfait), so it would be "il avait". If "it had" is preterite (passé composé), it would be "il a eu".
What actors and actresses appeared in Imparfait du subjectif - 2011?
The cast of Imparfait du subjectif - 2011 includes: Raoul Schlechter
What are the endings to 'Imparfait' in French?
The endings for regular -er verbs are: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient. For regular -ir and -re verbs, the endings are: -issais, -issais, -issait, -issions, -issiez, -issaient.
