Regular RE Verbs
French: Cambridge International GCSE, topic 6.3.3
Regular RE Verbs
To form the imperfect tense in French with RE verbs, take the present tense 'nous' form and replace the present tense endings with the imperfect endings. Here is the example for 'vendre' (to sell):
Je vendais - I was selling/used to sell
Tu vendais - you were selling/used to sell
- 'Tu' means 'you' (singular).
Il/elle vendait - he/she was selling/used to sell
Nous vendions - we were selling/used to sell
Vous vendiez - you were selling/used to sell
- 'Vous' means:
- You (plural).
- You (singular, formal).
Ils/elles vendaient - they were selling/used to sell
5 Common RE Verbs
Attendre - to wait
- J'attendais - I was waiting/used to wait.
- Tu attendais - you (singular) were waiting/used to wait.
- Il/elle attendait - he/she was waiting/used to wait.
- Nous attendions - we were waiting/used to wait.
- Vous attendiez - you (plural/formal) were waiting/used to wait.
- Ils/elles attendaient - they were waiting/used to wait.
Perdre - to lose
- Je perdais - I was losing/used to lose.
- Tu perdais - you (singular) were losing/used to lose.
- Il/elle perdait - he/she was losing/used to lose.
- Nous perdions - we were losing/used to lose.
- Vous perdiez - you (plural/formal) were losing/used to lose.
- Ils/elles perdaient - they were losing/used to lose.
Descendre -to go down
- Je descendais - I was going down/used to go down.
- Tu descendais - You (singular) were going down/used to go down.
- Il/elle descendait - he/she was going down/used to go down.
- Nous decendions - we were going down/used to go down.
- Vous descendiez - you (plural/formal) were going down/used to go down.
- Ils/elles descendaient - they were going down/used to go down.
Entendre - to hear
- J'entendais - I was hearing/used to hear.
- Tu entendais - you (singular) were hearing/used to hear.
- Il/elle entendait - he/she was hearing/used to hear.
- Nous entendions - we were hearing/used to hear.
- Vous entendiez - you (plural/formal) were hearing/used to hear.
- Ils/elles entendaient - they were hearing/used to hear.
Répondre - to respond, answer
- Je répondais - I was answering/used to answer.
- Tu répondais - you (singular) were answering/used to answer.
- Il/elle répondait - he/she was answering/used to answer.
- Nous répondions - we were answering/used to answer.
- Vous répondiez - you (plural/formal) were answering/used to answer.
- Ils/elles répondaient - they were answering/used to answer.
Test yourself on Regular RE Verbs
How do you say 'you (pl) were selling' in French?
How do you say ' we used to hear' in French?
Which of these is NOT in the imperfect tense?