14.3.11

When to Use the Imperfect vs the Perfect

Test yourself

Imperfect vs Perfect

Here are when you should use the perfect tense in French and when you should use the imperfect:

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Perfect

  • You use the perfect tense in French to talk about a completed and finished action in the past.
    • E.g. Il a regardé la télé.
      • He watched the tv or he has watched the tv.
  • When you translate into English, you do not need to translate 'has', but you have to write it in French.
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Imperfect

  • The imperfect is used for descriptions in the past.
    • Il faisait froid.
      • It was cold.
  • It is also used to talk about an ongoing action in the past.
    • Il mangeait son repas.
      • He was eating his meal.
    • Elle parlait à sa mère.
      • She was speaking to her mum.
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Imperfect

  • When one action interrupts another one in the past, you need to use the imperfect to talk about the interrupted action.
    • Je cuisinais quand ils sont arrivés.
      • I was cooking when they arrived.
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Imperfect

  • You also need to use the imperfect to say what used to happen.
    • Tous les lundis, je jouais au foot.
      • Every Monday I used to play football.

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1Phonics/Alphabet/Spellings

1.1Alphabet & Accents

1.1.1The Alphabet

1.1.2Accents

2Family & Relationships

2.1Family

2.1.1My Name

2.1.2My Age

2.1.3Talking About Yourself

2.1.4Adjectives Must Agree

2.1.5Colours

2.1.6Hair and Eyes

2.1.7Physical Appearance

2.1.8Personality

2.1.9Family Members

2.1.10Eldest & Youngest

2.1.11Other Family Members

2.1.12Immediate Family - Listening

2.1.13Extended Family - Listening

2.1.14Family Life - Listening

2.1.15Family in Paris - Listening

2.1.16Numbers 1-10

2.1.17Numbers 11-20

2.1.18Numbers 21-29

2.1.19Numbers 30-100

2.1.20Months of the Year

2.1.21What Time Is It?

2.1.22Time of the Year

2.1.23Years

2.1.24Describing Others - Physical Appearance

2.1.25Describing Others - Personality

2.1.26Friends

2.1.27Pets

2.1.28Days of the Week

2.1.29Frequency

2.2Family - Vocabulary

2.2.1Talking About Yourself - English to French

2.2.2Talking About Yourself - French to English

2.2.3Family - English to French

2.2.4Family - French to English

2.2.5Colours - English to French

2.2.6Colours - French to English

2.2.7Friends - English to French

2.2.8Friends - French to English

2.3Relationships

2.3.1Couples

2.3.2Single

2.3.3Weddings

2.3.4Marriage & Divorce

2.3.5Love

2.3.6Cohabitation

2.3.7Good & Bad Relationships

2.3.8Ideal Partners

3Home

3.1Home

3.1.1Where I Live

3.1.2My House

3.1.3Rooms of the House

3.1.4In My House

3.1.5Household Objects

3.1.6Home Activities

3.1.7Chores

3.1.8My Home - Listening

3.1.9My Furniture - Listening

3.2Home - Vocabulary

3.2.1Home - English to French

3.2.2Home - French to English

4Customs & Traditions in French Speaking Countries

4.1Customs & Traditions in French Speaking Countries

4.1.1Customs & Traditions in French Speaking Countries

4.1.2Celebrating

4.1.3French Celebrations

4.1.4Christmas Traditions

4.1.5Christmas in France - Listening

4.1.6National Holidays - Listening

4.2Customs & Traditions - Vocabulary

4.2.1Customs & Traditions - English to French

4.2.2Customs & Traditions - French to English

5Lifestyle

5.1Food

5.1.1Fruits

5.1.2Vegetables

5.1.3Meat & Fish

5.1.4Drinks

5.1.5Snacks

5.1.6Ordering

5.1.7Eating Out - Starters

5.1.8Eating Out - Main Course

5.1.9Eating Out - Dessert

5.1.10Favourite Food - Listening

5.1.11Breakfast - Listening

5.1.12Restaurants - Listening

6Sports & Games

6.1Sports & Games

6.1.1Games

6.1.2Jouer

6.1.3Sports with 'jouer'

6.1.4Faire

6.1.5Sports with 'faire'

6.1.6Exercise - Listening

6.1.7Working Out - Listening

6.2Sports - Vocabulary

6.2.1Sports - English to French

6.2.2Sports - French to English

7Health

7.1Health

7.1.1Healthy Living

7.1.2Unhealthy Living

7.1.3Illness

7.1.4Ache

7.1.5Pains

7.1.6Diets - Listening

7.2Health - Vocabulary

7.2.1Healthy Living - English to French

7.2.2Healthy Living - French to English

7.2.3Unhealthy Living - English to French

7.2.4Unhealthy Living - French to English

8School

8.1School

8.1.1'Ne... pas'

8.1.2School Subjects

8.1.3School Subjects 2

8.1.4The School Day

8.1.5Describing Your School

8.1.6School Rules

8.1.7School Uniform

8.1.8School Years

8.1.9School Supplies

8.1.10Classroom

8.1.11Classroom Furniture

8.1.12School Bags - Listening

8.2School - Vocabulary

8.2.1School - English to French

8.2.2School - French to English

8.2.3School Life - English to French

8.2.4School Life - French to English

9Future Plans

9.1Future Plans

9.1.1Jobs

9.1.2Opinions

9.1.3Places of Work

9.1.4Further Education

9.1.5Reasons Why

9.1.6Ambitions

9.1.7Jobs & Occupations - Listening

9.1.8Aspirations - Listening

9.2Future Plans - Vocabulary

9.2.1Further Education - English to French

9.2.2Further Education - French to English

9.2.3Jobs - English to French

9.2.4Jobs - French to English

10Leisure, Free Time & Media

10.1Free Time

10.1.1Opinion Phrases

10.1.2Conjugating Two Verbs

10.1.3Music

10.1.4Instruments

10.1.5Cinema

10.1.6TV

10.1.7Books

10.1.8Mobile Technology

10.1.9Social Networks

10.1.10Video Games

10.1.11Advantages of Technology

10.1.12Dangers of Technology

10.1.13Social Media

10.1.14Justifying Preferences

10.1.15Weekend Activities - Listening

10.1.16Summer Activities - Listening

10.2Free Time

10.2.1Music - English to French

10.2.2Music - French to English

10.2.3Cinema & TV - English to French

10.2.4Cinema & TV - French to English

10.2.5Social Media - English to French

10.2.6Social Media - French to English

10.3Shopping

10.3.1Spending & Saving

10.3.2Shopping

10.3.3Money

10.3.4Style & Fashion

10.3.5Shopping for Clothes

10.3.6Pocket Money

10.3.7Part-Time Jobs

10.3.8Fashion - Listening

11Town & Region

11.1Town & Region

11.1.1Places in the Town

11.1.2Describing My Town

11.1.3Things To Do

11.1.4Improving My Town

11.1.5Directions

11.1.6Cities & Regions

11.1.7Cities & Villages

11.1.8Cities - Listening

11.1.9Regions - Listening

11.2Town & Region - Vocabulary

11.2.1Town - English to French

11.2.2Town - French to English

11.2.3Region - English to French

11.2.4Region - French to English

11.2.5Directions - English to French

11.2.6Directions - French to English

12Holidays

12.1Holidays

12.1.1Masculine Countries

12.1.2Feminine Countries

12.1.3Going on Holiday

12.1.4Accommodation

12.1.5Activities

12.1.6Making a Reservation

12.1.7Making a Complaint

12.1.8Good Weather

12.1.9Bad Weather

12.1.10French-Speaking Countries

12.1.11Dream Holidays - Listening

12.2Holidays - Vocabulary

12.2.1Holidays - English to French

12.2.2Holidays - French to English

12.2.3Going on Holiday - English to French

12.2.4Going on Holiday - French to English

12.2.5Countries - English to French

12.2.6Countries - French to English

12.2.7Weather - English to French

12.2.8Weather - French to English

13Global Issues

13.1Global Issues

13.1.1To Waste Energy

13.1.2To Save Energy

13.1.3Environmental Problems

13.1.4Priorities

13.1.5Addressing The Problem

13.1.6Volunteering

13.1.7Volunteer Work

13.1.8Social Causes

13.1.9Human Rights

13.1.10Human Rights 2

13.1.11Freedom - Listening

13.2Global Issues - Vocabulary

13.2.1The Environment - English to French

13.2.2The Environment - French to English

14Grammar

14.1Present Tense

14.1.1Regular ER Verbs

14.1.25 Common ER Verbs

14.1.3Regular IR Verbs

14.1.45 Common IR Verbs

14.1.5Regular RE Verbs

14.1.65 Common RE Verbs

14.1.7Irregular ER Verbs - Aller

14.1.8Verbs That End in 'cer' and 'ger'

14.1.9Stem Changing Verbs

14.1.10Irregular IR Verbs Like 'Partir'

14.1.11Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'vrir'

14.1.12Irregular IR Verbs That End in 'enir'

14.1.13Irregular IR Verbs With No Pattern

14.1.14Modal Irregular IR Verbs

14.1.15Prendre

14.1.16Irregular RE Verbs That End in 'ttre'

14.1.17Irregular RE Verbs With No Pattern

14.1.18Irregular RE Verbs With No Pattern 2

14.1.19Reflexive Verbs

14.1.20Avoir

14.1.21Être

14.1.22Faire

14.1.23Aller

14.1.24Modal Verbs - Vouloir

14.1.25Modal Verbs - Pouvoir

14.1.26Modal Verbs - Devoir

14.2Perfect Tense

14.2.1Regular ER Verbs in the Perfect Tense

14.2.2Regular IR Verbs in the Perfect Tense

14.2.3Regular RE Verbs in the Perfect Tense

14.2.4Irregular Past Participle With 'Avoir'

14.2.5Irregular Past Participle With 'Avoir' 2

14.2.6Être RE Verbs

14.2.7Être IR Verbs

14.2.8Être ER Verbs

14.2.9'Venir'

14.2.10'Naître' & 'Mourir'

14.3Imperfect Tense

14.3.1Imperfect Tense - Regular ER Verbs

14.3.2Imperfect Tense - 5 Common ER Verbs

14.3.3Imperfect Tense - Regular IR Verbs

14.3.4Imperfect Tense - 5 Common IR Verbs

14.3.5Imperfect Tense - Regular RE Verbs

14.3.6Imperfect Tense - 5 Common RE Verbs

14.3.7Imperfect Tense - Irregular ER Verbs

14.3.8Imperfect Tense - Être

14.3.9Imperfect Tense - Irregular IR Verbs

14.3.10Imperfect Tense - Irregular RE Verbs

14.3.11When to Use the Imperfect vs the Perfect

14.4Future Tense

14.4.1Immediate Future

14.4.2Future Tense - Regular ER Verbs

14.4.3Future Tense - 5 Common ER Verbs

14.4.4Future Tense - Regular IR Verbs

14.4.5Future Tense - 5 Common IR Verbs

14.4.6Future Tense - Regular RE Verbs

14.4.7Future Tense - 5 Common RE Verbs

14.4.8Future Tense - Irregulars

14.4.9Future Tense - Irregulars 2

14.5Conditional Tense

14.5.1Conditional Tense - Regular ER Verbs

14.5.2Conditional Tense - 5 Common ER Verbs

14.5.3Conditional Tense - Regular IR Verbs

14.5.4Conditional Tense - 5 Common IR Verbs

14.5.5Conditional Tense - Regular RE Verbs

14.5.6Conditional Tense - 5 Common RE Verbs

14.5.7Conditional Tense - Irregulars

14.5.8Conditional Tense - Irregulars 2

14.6Passive

14.6.1Present Passive Voice

14.6.2Perfect Passive Voice

14.6.3Future Passive Voice

14.6.4Imperfect Future Passive Voice

14.6.5Avoiding The Passive

14.6.6Making The Passive Active

14.7Imperative

14.7.1Imperatives

14.7.2Irregular Imperatives

15Other Grammar

15.1Nouns

15.1.1The, A

15.1.2Some

15.1.3Masculine

15.1.4Masculine 2

15.1.5Feminine

15.1.6Feminine 2

15.1.7Masculine Plurals

15.1.8Feminine Plurals

15.1.9Irregular Plurals

15.1.10Suffixes

15.2Adjectives

15.2.1Adjectives Must Agree

15.2.2Irregular Agreements

15.2.3No Pattern Irregulars

15.2.4Adjectives Which Change Their Meaning

15.2.5Before the Noun

15.2.6Before the Noun 2

15.2.7After the Noun

15.2.8Comparing Adjectives

15.2.9Superlative Adjectives

15.2.10Good, Better, Best

15.2.11Patterns

15.2.12Masculine and Feminine

15.3Pronouns

15.3.1Subject Pronouns

15.3.2Direct Object Pronouns

15.3.3Indirect Object Pronouns

15.3.4Reflexive Pronouns

15.3.5Indefinite Pronouns

15.3.6'Y' & 'En'

15.4Adverbs

15.4.1Adding 'ment'

15.4.2Exceptions

15.4.3Good, Badly, Fast

15.5Infinitive Phrases

15.5.1Infinitive Phrases

15.6Conjunctions

15.6.1But, And

15.6.2Then, So

15.6.3Because, While

15.6.4However, For Example

15.7Negatives

15.7.1'Ne...pas'

15.7.2Other Negatives

15.7.3Negative Sentences

15.8Prepositions

15.8.1In, To, Of

15.8.2Verbs That Use 'A' or 'De'

15.9Asking Questions

15.9.1What, Which, Where?

15.9.2How, When?

15.9.3'Est-ce que...'

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Imperfect Tense - Irregular RE Verbs

Immediate Future