6.3.10

'Venir De' + Imperfect Tense

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Venir de + Imperfect Tense

This structure expresses an action that had just happened in the past before another past action.

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'Venir de' + imperfect tense

  • The structure venir de + imperfect tense shows that an action had just finished.
    • It is used to describe a past action very close to another past event.
    • The imperfect tense here describes what had just occurred before.
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Structure

  • You use the verb venir in the imperfect tense:
    • je venais, tu venais, il venait, nous venions, vous veniez, ils venaient
  • Add de after the verb venir.
  • Follow with an infinitive verb to show the action that just happened.
  • Je venais de manger.
    • I had just eaten.
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When to use it

  • Use this structure to show something just happened in the past.
  • It often pairs with another past tense verb (like passé composé or imperfect).
  • It sets the scene or explains the immediate past before another action.
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Examples

  • Je venais de finir mes devoirs quand tu as téléphoné.
    • I had just finished my homework when you called.
  • Nous venions d’arriver au musée quand il a commencé à pleuvoir.
    • We had just arrived at the museum when it started to rain.

Jump to other topics

1Everyday Activities

2Personal & Social Life

3The World Around Us

4The World of Work

5The International World

6Common Tenses

7Advanced Tenses

8Extra Grammar

8.1Articles

8.2The Passive Voice

8.3Pronouns

8.4Asking Questions

8.5Nouns

8.6Prepositions

8.7Adverbs

8.8Adjectives

8.9Negative

8.10Conjunctions

8.11Miscellaneous

8.12Verbs

8.13Numbers

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