5.1.4
Qui ils sont - Grammar
The imperfect tense in French
The imperfect tense in French
The imperfect tense is used to describe something that we ‘used to’ do or something that used to happen, what things were like in the past or something that was in the process of happening in the past.
Format
Format
- To form the imperfect tense in French, we need to put the verb we want to use into the nous form of the present tense first without the +ons ending.
- This gives us the stem of the verb.
- Then we add the specific imperfect tense endings to this stem.
Endings
Endings
- Je + stem + ais
- Tu + stem + ais
- Il/elle/on + stem + ait
- Nous + stem + ions
- Vous + stem + iez
- Ils/elles + stem + aient
Example
Example
For example, let’s take the regular verb jouer = to play
The first step of forming the imperfect tense is to put this verb in the nous form of the present tense.
- This gives us nous jouons
We need to now remove the +ons ending from jouons
- This leaves us with nous jou
We now need to add the appropriate imperfect tense endings to this newly found stem
- We now have nous + jou + ions = nous jouions
- 🡪 We used to play / We were playing
- We now have nous + jou + ions = nous jouions
Exceptions
Exceptions
- We must also remember the irregular verbs!
- Their stems will also look like their nous form of the present tense (where we then just add on the imperfect endings to them).
- Avoir = Av+
- Attendre = Attend+
- Faire = Fais+
- Finir = Finiss+
- Être = Et+
- Note that the stem for être is different for the imperfect tense.
Examples
Examples
I was finishing would be Je finissais
She used to be would be Elle était
- Can you see how these irregular verbs have been formed using the correct 2 steps?
- They have an irregular stem where we then add an imperfect tense ending.
1The Changing Nature of Family
1.1Soucis et problèmes de famille
1.2Monoparentalité, homoparentalité etc
2The 'cyber-society'
2.1Qui sont les cybernautes ?
2.2Comment la technologie facilite la vie quotidienne
3The Place of Voluntary Work
3.1Qui sont et que font les bénévoles ?
3.2La valeur du bénévolat
4Diverse Society
4.1L'enrichissement dû à la mixité
4.2Tolérance et respect
5The Marginalised
5.1Qui ils sont
5.2Comment aider
6How Criminals Are Treated
6.1Quelles attitudes envers la criminalité ?
6.2La prison – échec ou succès ?
7A Culture Proud of its Heritage
7.1Le patrimoine - national, régional et local
7.2Comment le patrimoine reflète la culture
7.3Le patrimoine et le tourisme
8Cinema: the 7th Art Form
8.1Pourquoi le septième art?
8.2Le cinéma - une passion nationale ?
9Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power?
9.1Le pouvoir des syndicats
9.2Manifestations et grèves – sont-elles efficaces ?
10Politics & Immigration
10.1Politiques d'intégration et immigration
10.2L'immigration et les partis politiques
10.3L'engagement politique des immigrés
11Conjugation & Use of Tenses
11.1Present Tense
11.1.1Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'vrir'
11.1.2Irregular RE Verbs
11.1.3RE Present Participle
11.1.4Irregular IR Verbs With No Pattern
11.1.5Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'enir'
11.1.6Regular IR Verbs
11.1.7Reflexive Verbs
11.1.8ER Present Participles
11.1.95 Common IR Verbs
11.1.10Stem-Changing Verbs
11.1.11Irregular Present Participles
11.1.12Irregular IR Verbs Like 'Partir'
11.1.13Regular RE Verbs
11.1.14Irregular ER Verbs - Aller
11.1.15Modal Irregular IR Verbs
11.1.165 Common RE Verbs
11.1.17Irregular RE Verbs With No Pattern
11.1.18Avoir
11.1.19Être
11.1.20Regular ER Verbs
11.1.21IR Present Participle
11.1.225 Common ER Verbs
11.2Perfect Tense
11.3Imperfect Tense
11.4Future Tense
11.5Conditional Tense
11.6Future Perfect Tense
11.7Conditional Perfect Tense
12Extra Grammar
12.2Adjectives
12.3Numerals
12.4Adverbs
12.5Quantifiers & Intensifiers
12.6Pronouns
12.7Passive Voice
12.8Prepositions
12.9Conjunctions
12.10Negation
12.11Questions
Jump to other topics
1The Changing Nature of Family
1.1Soucis et problèmes de famille
1.2Monoparentalité, homoparentalité etc
2The 'cyber-society'
2.1Qui sont les cybernautes ?
2.2Comment la technologie facilite la vie quotidienne
3The Place of Voluntary Work
3.1Qui sont et que font les bénévoles ?
3.2La valeur du bénévolat
4Diverse Society
4.1L'enrichissement dû à la mixité
4.2Tolérance et respect
5The Marginalised
5.1Qui ils sont
5.2Comment aider
6How Criminals Are Treated
6.1Quelles attitudes envers la criminalité ?
6.2La prison – échec ou succès ?
7A Culture Proud of its Heritage
7.1Le patrimoine - national, régional et local
7.2Comment le patrimoine reflète la culture
7.3Le patrimoine et le tourisme
8Cinema: the 7th Art Form
8.1Pourquoi le septième art?
8.2Le cinéma - une passion nationale ?
9Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power?
9.1Le pouvoir des syndicats
9.2Manifestations et grèves – sont-elles efficaces ?
10Politics & Immigration
10.1Politiques d'intégration et immigration
10.2L'immigration et les partis politiques
10.3L'engagement politique des immigrés
11Conjugation & Use of Tenses
11.1Present Tense
11.1.1Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'vrir'
11.1.2Irregular RE Verbs
11.1.3RE Present Participle
11.1.4Irregular IR Verbs With No Pattern
11.1.5Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'enir'
11.1.6Regular IR Verbs
11.1.7Reflexive Verbs
11.1.8ER Present Participles
11.1.95 Common IR Verbs
11.1.10Stem-Changing Verbs
11.1.11Irregular Present Participles
11.1.12Irregular IR Verbs Like 'Partir'
11.1.13Regular RE Verbs
11.1.14Irregular ER Verbs - Aller
11.1.15Modal Irregular IR Verbs
11.1.165 Common RE Verbs
11.1.17Irregular RE Verbs With No Pattern
11.1.18Avoir
11.1.19Être
11.1.20Regular ER Verbs
11.1.21IR Present Participle
11.1.225 Common ER Verbs
11.2Perfect Tense
11.3Imperfect Tense
11.4Future Tense
11.5Conditional Tense
11.6Future Perfect Tense
11.7Conditional Perfect Tense
12Extra Grammar
12.2Adjectives
12.3Numerals
12.4Adverbs
12.5Quantifiers & Intensifiers
12.6Pronouns
12.7Passive Voice
12.8Prepositions
12.9Conjunctions
12.10Negation
12.11Questions
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