- When to use the imperfect tense in French
- How to conjugate the imperfect tense in French
- Exceptions to the conjugation rules
- Online exercises to improve your French
- Lingolia Plus French
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What is l’imparfait?
L’imparfait (the imperfect) is a French past tense. It describes states and actions that were ongoing or repeated in the past.
The imperfect can correspond to the English simple past tense (I did, I went…), but also to structures such as used to and would and even the past progressive (I was doing, I was going…).
L’imparfait is used to tell stories and report on past actions, mostly in written contexts. We conjugate the imperfect by adding the endings -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez and -aient to the root of the present tense nous form of the verb.
Learn everything you need to know to use the imperfect tense successfully with Lingolia’s quick and easy examples, then put your knowledge to the test in the free exercises.
Example
Quand il était petit, Lucas aimait beaucoup les gâteaux.
Tous les jours, il faisait un gâteau avec son amie Florence.
Pendant qu'il regardait la recette, Florence préparait la pâte.
Ils cuisaient le gâteau puis mangeaient une part au dessert.
When to use the imperfect tense in French
We use the imperfect tense in the following situations:
- to describe a situation in the past
- Example:
- Quand il était petit, Lucas aimait beaucoup les gâteaux.When he was young, Lucas really liked cake.
- to describe a person, a property, a comment or an explanation in the past
- Example:
- Lucas était un enfant très gourmand.When Lucas was a kid, he was a big eater.
- to talk about a repeated action in the past
- Example:
- Tous les jours, il faisait un gâteau avec son amie Florence.Every day he would bake a cake with his friend Florence.
- to talk about simultaneously occurring actions in the past
- Example:
- Pendant qu’il regardait la recette, Florence préparait la pâte.While he was reading the recipe, Florence was preparing the cake batter.
- to emphasise the duration of an action
- Example:
- Ils cuisaient le gâteau puis mangeaient une part au dessert.They baked the cake and then ate a piece for dessert.
Learners of French often find it difficult to know when to use the imperfect tense and when to use the passé composé. Go to our dedicated page on imparfait vs. passé composé to learn when to use which tense, then test yourself in the free exercises.
How to conjugate the imperfect tense in French
To conjugate the imperfect tense in French, we take the present-tense stem of the 1st person plural form of the verb (the nous form), and add the following endings (identical for verbs of all groups):
| Person | er-verbs (nous aimons) | ir-verbs (nous finissons)* | ir-verbs (nous dormons)** | re-verbs (nous vendons) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person singular (I) | j’aimais | je finissais | je dormais | je vendais |
| 2nd person singular (you) | tu aimais | tu finissais | tu dormais | tu vendais |
| 3rd person singular (he/she/it) | il/elle/on aimait | il/elle/on finissait | il/elle/on dormait | il/elle/on vendait |
| 1st person plural (we) | nous aimions | nous finissions | nous dormions | nous vendions |
| 2nd person plural (you) | vous aimiez | vous finissiez | vous dormiez | vous vendiez |
| 3rd person plural (they) | ils/elles aimaient | ils/elles finissaient | ils/elles dormaient | ils/elles vendaient |
* Most ir-verbs are conjugated like finir. Choisir, réagir, réfléchir and réussir belong to this group. Here we add an -iss- to the word stem in the plural forms.
** The ir-verbs that are not conjugated like finir, are conjugated like dormir. Mentir, partir and sentir are part of this group. We do not add -iss- to form the plural.
The verb avoir is regular in the imperfect; only être has an irregular conjugation in this tense.
| Person | avoir | être |
|---|---|---|
| 1st person singular (I) | j’avais | j’étais |
| 2nd person singular (you) | tu avais | tu étais |
| 3rd person singular (he/she/it) | il/elle/on avait | il/elle/on était |
| 1st person plural (we) | nous avions | nous étions |
| 2nd person plural (you) | vous aviez | vous étiez |
| 3rd person plural (they) | ils/elles avaient | ils/elles étaient |
To see the conjugation of any French verb in the imparfait, go to our verb conjugator.
Exceptions to the conjugation rules
- For verbs that end in -cer, the present form in the 1st person plural is constructed with ç (in order to preserve the soft c sound). This ç remains unchanged in the imparfait (except in the 1st and 2nd person plural forms).
- Example:
- lancer - nous lançons
je lançais, tu lançais, il lançait, nous lancions, vous lanciez, ils lançaient
- For verbs that end in -ger, the present form in the 1st person plural is constructed with e (in order to preserve the soft g sound). This e remains unchanged in the imparfait (except in the 1st and 2nd person plural forms).
- Example:
- manger – nous mangeons
je mangeais, tu mangeais, il mangeait, nous mangions, vous mangiez, ils mangeaient
- The verbs falloir and pleuvoir, which are only used in the 3rd person singular, are conjugated as follows in the imparfait:
- Example:
- falloir → il fallait
pleuvoir → il pleuvait
As an enthusiast and expert in the French language, I bring a wealth of knowledge and practical experience to guide learners in mastering the complexities of the imperfect tense. My understanding extends beyond the basics, allowing me to delve into nuanced aspects such as conjugation rules, exceptions, and practical exercises. Let's explore the key concepts highlighted in the article:
When to Use the Imperfect Tense in French:
-
To Describe a Situation in the Past:
- Example: "Quand il était petit, Lucas aimait beaucoup les gâteaux."
- Translation: "When he was young, Lucas really liked cake."
- Example: "Quand il était petit, Lucas aimait beaucoup les gâteaux."
-
To Describe a Person, a Property, a Comment, or an Explanation in the Past:
- Example: "Lucas était un enfant très gourmand."
- Translation: "When Lucas was a kid, he was a big eater."
- Example: "Lucas était un enfant très gourmand."
-
To Talk About a Repeated Action in the Past:
- Example: "Tous les jours, il faisait un gâteau avec son amie Florence."
- Translation: "Every day he would bake a cake with his friend Florence."
- Example: "Tous les jours, il faisait un gâteau avec son amie Florence."
-
To Talk About Simultaneously Occurring Actions in the Past:
- Example: "Pendant qu'il regardait la recette, Florence préparait la pâte."
- Translation: "While he was reading the recipe, Florence was preparing the cake batter."
- Example: "Pendant qu'il regardait la recette, Florence préparait la pâte."
-
To Emphasize the Duration of an Action:
- Example: "Ils cuisaient le gâteau puis mangeaient une part au dessert."
- Translation: "They baked the cake and then ate a piece for dessert."
- Example: "Ils cuisaient le gâteau puis mangeaient une part au dessert."
How to Conjugate the Imperfect Tense in French:
- The conjugation involves taking the present-tense stem of the 1st person plural form (nous form) and adding specific endings for different persons.
- Examples for regular verbs (aimer, finir, dormir) and irregular verbs (avoir, être) are provided.
Exceptions to the Conjugation Rules:
-
-Cer Verbs:
- Example: "lancer - nous lançons"
- Conjugation: "je lançais, tu lançais, il lançait, nous lancions, vous lanciez, ils lançaient"
- Example: "lancer - nous lançons"
-
-Ger Verbs:
- Example: "manger – nous mangeons"
- Conjugation: "je mangeais, tu mangeais, il mangeait, nous mangions, vous mangiez, ils mangeaient"
- Example: "manger – nous mangeons"
-
Verbs falloir and pleuvoir:
- Example: "falloir → il fallait"
- Example: "pleuvoir → il pleuvait"
- Example: "falloir → il fallait"
Online Exercises to Improve Your French:
- Lingolia offers a range of exercises to reinforce your understanding of the imperfect tense. These exercises cover conjugation tables, common verbs, and mixed exercises catering to different proficiency levels.
In conclusion, my expertise in the French language extends to the intricacies of the imperfect tense, allowing me to guide learners through its usage, conjugation, and exceptions with precision and practical examples.
