When writing a story in French of the past how do you know when to use Imparfait or Passe Compose?

Answer 1

The quick rule of thumb when writing or speaking is "Imparfait" is the very near past, i.e. this morning, a few hours ago at most yesterday. Whereas "Passé Composé" is the past, usually a longer time has passed.

So for an example:

Je buvais du café ce matin. (Imparfait)

I drank coffee this morning.

J'ai acheté du café la semaine dernière. (Passé composé)

I bought coffee last week.

Answer 2

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.