Regular IR Verbs
French: Cambridge International GCSE, topic 6.3.2
Regular IR Verbs
To form the imperfect tense in French with IR verbs, you take the present tense 'nous' form, take off the present tense ending and add the imperfect endings. Here is the example for 'finir':
Je finissais - I was finishing, used to finish
Tu finissais - you were finishing, used to finish
- 'Tu' means 'you' (singular).
Il/elle finissait - he/she was finishing, used to finish
Nous finissions - we were finishing, used to finish
Vous finissiez - you were finishing, used to finish
- 'Vous' means:
- You (plural).
- You (singular, formal).
Ils/elles finissaient - they were finishing, used to finish
5 Common IR Verbs in the Imperfect Tense
Choisir - to choose
- Je choisissais - I was choosing, used to choose.
- Tu choisissais - you (singular) were choosing, used to choose.
- Il/elle/on choisissait - he/she/one was choosing, used to choose.
- Nous choisissions - we were choosing, used to choose.
- Vous choisissiez - you (plural/formal) were choosing, used to choose.
- Ils/elles choisissaient - they were choosing, used to choose.
Agir - to act
- J'agissais - I was acting, used to act.
- Tu agissais - you (singular) were acting, used to act.
- Il/elle/on agissait - he/she/one was acting, used to act.
- Nous agissions - we were acting, used to act.
- Vous agissiez - you (plural/formal) were acting, used to act.
- Ils/elles agissaient - they were acting, used to act.
Remplir - to fill (in)
- Je remplissais - I was filling, used to fill.
- Tu remplissais - you (singular) were filling, used to fill.
- Il/elle/on remplissait - he/she/one was filling, used to fill.
- Nous remplissions - we were filling, used to fill.
- Vous remplissiez - you (plural/formal) were filling, used to fill.
- Ils/elles remplissaient - they were filling, used to fill.
Avertir - to warn
- J'avertissais - I was warning, used to warn.
- Tu avertissais - you (singular) were warning, used to warn.
- Il/elle/on avertissait - he/she/one was warning, used to warn.
- Nous avertissions - we were warning, used to warn.
- Vous avertissiez - you (plural/formal) were warning, used to warn.
- Ils/elles avertissaient - they were warning, used to warn.
Réussir - to succeed
- Je réussissais - I was succeeding, used to succeed.
- Tu réussissais - you (singular) were succeeding, used to succeed.
- Il/elle/on réussissait - he/she/one was succeeding, used to succeed.
- Nous réussissions - we were succeeding, used to succeed.
- Vous réussissiez - you (plural/formal) were succeeding, used to succeed.
- Ils/elles réussissaient - they were succeeding, used to succeed.
Test yourself on Regular IR Verbs
How do you say 'we were finishing' in French?
Which one of these is NOT in the imperfect tense?
Which of these are the correct forms of the imperfect tense?
How do you say 'we were warning' in French?