Regular ER Verbs
French: Edexcel IGCSE, topic 6.3.1
Regular ER Verbs
To form the imperfect tense in French with ER verbs, you take the present tense 'nous' form, take off the present tense ending and add the imperfect endings. Here is the example for 'parler':
Je parlais - I was talking/used to talk
Tu parlais - you were talking/used to talk
- 'Tu' means 'you' (singular).
Il/elle parlait - he/she was talking/used to talk
Nous parlions - we were talking/used to talk
Vous parliez - you were talking/used to talk
- 'Vous' means:
- You (plural).
- You (singular, formal).
Ils/elles parlaient - they were talking/used to talk
5 Common ER Verbs
Aimer - to like
- J'aimais - I was liking/used to like.
- Tu aimais - you (singular) were liking/used to like.
- Il/elle aimait - he/she was liking/used to like.
- Nous aimions - we were liking/used to like.
- Vous aimiez - you (plural/formal) were liking/used to like.
- Ils/elles aimaient - they were liking/used to like.
Travailler - to work
- Je travaillais - I was working/used to work.
- Tu travaillais - you (singular) were working/used to work.
- Il/elle travaillait - he/she was working/used to work.
- Nous travaillions - we were working/used to work.
- Vous travailliez - you (plural/formal) were working/used to work.
- Ils/elles travaillaient - they were working/used to work.
Aider - to help
- J'aidais - I was helping/used to help.
- Tu aidais - you (singular) were helping//used to help.
- Il/elle aidait - he/she was helping/used to help.
- Nous aidions - we were helping/used to help.
- Vous aidiez - you (plural/formal) were helping/used to help.
- Ils/elles aidaient - they were helping/used to help.
Demander - to ask
- Je demandais - I was asking/used to ask.
- Tu demandais - you (singular) were asking/used to ask.
- Il/elle demandait - he/she was asking/used to ask.
- Nous demandions - we were asking/used to ask.
- Vous demandiez - you (plural/formal) were asking/used to ask.
- Ils/elles demandaient - they were asking/used to ask.
Rester - to stay
- Je restais - I was staying/used to stay.
- Tu restais - you (singular) were staying/used to stay.
- Il/elle restait - he/she was staying/used to stay.
- Nous restions - we were staying/used to stay.
- Vous restiez - you (plural/formal) were staying/used to stay.
- Ils/elles restaient - they were staying/used to stay.
Test yourself on Regular ER Verbs
How do you say 'we were talking' in French?
Which one of these are NOT in the imperfect tense?
Which of these are the correct forms of the imperfect tense?
How do you say 'we were helping' in French?