The Imperfect
The imperfect is used to describe actions that were developped in
the past and which ended some time ago.
| Je mangeais un bonbon |
I ate a sweet |
| Nous parlions avec le garçon |
We spoke to the boy |
It is also used to describe actions which repeated happened in the
past:
| Je jouais au tennis quand
j'étais petit |
I played tennis when I was younger
(at this time I used to practise this sport) |
| |
|
| Il parlait français avec son professeur |
He spoke French with his teacher(he
used to speak with his teacher) |
It is also used to refer to actions that developped in the past,
during which in a determined moment, other actions took place:
| Je mangeais quand il
est arrivé |
I was eating when he arrived(half
way through my lunch he arrived) |
| |
|
| IL étudiait quand son père
l'a appelé |
He was studying when his dad
called him (half way through his studying his dad called him) |
The imperfect is formed by using the following rule, independently
of the group the verb belongs to:
a)
You take the first person plural of the present tense and you remove
the ending "-ons":
|
| Infinitive |
1st pers. plural |
Root for the imperfect |
| Parler |
Parlons |
Parl - |
| Finir |
Finissons |
Finiss - |
| Venir |
Venons |
Ven - |
b) You add the following endings to the root:
|
| 1st pers. sing. |
+ ais |
Je parlais |
| 2nd pers. sing. |
+ ais |
Tu parlais |
| 3rd pers. sing. |
+ ait |
Il parlait |
| 1st pers. plural |
+ ions |
Nous parlions |
| 2nd pers. plural |
+ iez |
Vous parliez |
| 3rd pers. plural |
+ aient |
Ils parlaient |
Here are some examples:
| |
Finir |
Venir |
Acheter |
Savoir |
| 1ª pers. sing. |
Finissais |
Venais |
Achetais |
Savais |
| 2ª pers. sing. |
Finissais |
Venais |
Achetais |
Savais |
| 3ª pers. sing. |
Finissait |
Venait |
Achetait |
Savait |
| 1ª pers. plural |
Finissions |
Venions |
Achetions |
Savions |
| 2ª pers. plural |
Finissiez |
Veniez |
Achetiez |
Saviez |
| 3ª pers. plural |
Finissaient |
Venaient |
Achetaient |
Savaient |
VOCABULARY
les adjectifs qualificatifs
| Tall |
Haut |
Obedient |
Obéissant |
| Short |
Bas |
Brown-haired |
Brun |
| Fat |
Gros |
Blond |
Blond |
| Thin |
Maigre |
Red-haired |
Roux |
| Ugly |
Laid |
Bald |
Chauve |
| Pretty |
Beau |
White-haired |
Chevelu |
| Big |
Grand |
Blind |
Aveugle |
| Small |
Petit |
Deaf |
Sourd |
| Friendly |
Sympathique |
Dumb |
Muet |
| Unfriendly |
Antipathique |
Quiet |
Tranquille |
| Nervous |
Nerveux |
Rebellious |
Rebelle |
