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Tense guide
Imparfait (Imperfect)

Language: French
Tense:
Person:

Practice conjugation drills

Introduction

This French tense is used to talk about the past. It does not focus on single, completed events. Instead, it describes what was happening, how things were, or what someone used to do. Think of it as painting a picture of a past scene rather than listing a series of actions.

Use this tense to describe things in the past. It helps you set the scene by describing people, places, the weather, or a general situation.

Le soleil brillait et les oiseaux chantaient.
(The sun was shining and the birds were singing.)
La maison était grande et rouge.
(The house was big and red.)
Elle portait une robe bleue.
(She was wearing a blue dress.)
Hier, il faisait froid.
(Yesterday, it was cold.)

Use this tense for habits or repeated actions in the past. It expresses what someone "used to do" or "would always do".

Quand j'étais petit, je jouais au football.
(When I was little, I used to play soccer.)
Chaque été, nous allions à la plage.
(Every summer, we would go to the beach.)
Elle regardait toujours la télévision le soir.
(She always watched television in the evening.)
Ils dînaient ensemble le dimanche.
(They used to have dinner together on Sundays.)
Mon père me lisait une histoire tous les soirs.
(My father read me a story every night.)

Use this tense for an ongoing action in the past. This describes an action that was in progress when something else happened. It is the French equivalent of "was" or "were" + "-ing".

Je dormais quand le téléphone a sonné.
(I was sleeping when the phone rang.)
Il pleuvait quand je suis sorti.
(It was raining when I went out.)
Nous mangions pendant que les enfants jouaient.
(We were eating while the children were playing.)
Que faisais-tu hier à 20h ?
(What were you doing yesterday at 8 PM?)

Use this tense to describe a past state of being, feeling, or thought. This covers internal conditions like being hungry, tired, happy, or what you were thinking or wanting.

J'avais faim.
(I was hungry.)
Elle était très contente de voir son ami.
(She was very happy to see her friend.)
Je pensais que tu avais raison.
(I thought you were right.)
Il voulait un café.
(He wanted a coffee.)

Remember, this tense is for background information, descriptions, and past habits. Avoid using it for a main event that happened once and was completed, like "I arrived" or "She opened the door".

Further explanations

Conjugation patterns