'Venir De' + Imperfect Tense
French: Cambridge International GCSE, topic 6.3.10
Venir de + Imperfect Tense
This structure expresses an action that had just happened in the past before another past action.
'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.
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.
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.
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.
Test yourself on 'Venir De' + Imperfect Tense
Conjugate the verb 'venir' in the imperfect tense in French.