Imparfait

Imparfait, or imperfect, is another past verb tense commonly used. It is used for continuous past actions/ habitual past actions, something done commonly over a span of time. To find the stem, cut off the -er, -ir, or -re. Then add the appropriate ending. The -er and -re have the same endings, -ir verbs have different endings.



There are certain words that tell when the imparfait should be used.
Some of these words include:
  • d'habitude- usually/normally
  • souvent- often
  • tourjours- always
  • parfois/quelque fois- sometimes/occasionally
  • tous les jours- every day
  • tous les étés- every summer
  • chaque jour- every day
  • generalment- gernerally
  • pendant- during/while
  • quand, J'etais jeune- When I was young
  • quand, J'avias 6 ans- When I was six years old

    • Endings:

    -er and -re endings
    Je -ais Nous -ions
    Tu -ais Vous -iez
    Il/Elle -ait Ils/Elles -aient

    -ir endings
    Je -issais Nous -issions
    Tu -issais Vous -issiez
    Il/Elle -issait Ils/Elles -issaient

    Examples:

    habiter- to live
    Je habitais Nous habitions
    Tu habitais Vous habitiez
    Il/Elle habitait Ils/Elles habitaient

    finir- to finish
    Je finissais Nous finissions
    Tu finissais Vous finissiez
    Il/Elle finissait Ils/Elles finissaient

    descendre- to descend
    Je descendais Nous descendions
    Tu descendais Vous descendiez
    Il/Elle descendait Ils/Elles descendaient