The imparfait is a French past tense used to describe ongoing, habitual, or repeated actions in the past, as well as background information, circumstances, and states of being. It is essential for storytelling and setting scenes in the past.
- Used for actions that were ongoing, habitual, or repeated in the past.
- Describes background, circumstances, and states in past narratives.
- Not used for actions seen as completed (use passé composé for those).
Use the imparfait for past routines, background, and states—not for completed actions.
When to Use the Imparfait
| Usage | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Habitual Actions | Things you used to do regularly | Je regardais la télé tous les soirs. (I used to watch TV every evening.) |
| Ongoing Actions | Actions in progress at a certain time | Il pleuvait quand je suis arrivé. (It was raining when I arrived.) |
| Background/Setting | Describing scenes or circumstances | La maison était grande. (The house was big.) |
| States/Conditions | Describing mental, physical, or emotional states | Elle était fatiguée. (She was tired.) |
| Descriptions | Describing people, places, things | Il avait les yeux bleus. (He had blue eyes.) |
- Habitual actions, ongoing actions, background, states, descriptions
- Not for isolated, completed actions (passé composé is used instead)
Use imparfait for background, routines, and descriptions—not for isolated facts or events.
Forming the Imparfait
To conjugate verbs in the imparfait, remove the -ons from the present tense nous form and add the imparfait endings:
| Subject | Ending | Example: parler (to speak) |
|---|---|---|
| Je | -ais | Je parlais |
| Tu | -ais | Tu parlais |
| Il/Elle/On | -ait | Il/Elle parlait |
| Nous | -ions | Nous parlions |
| Vous | -iez | Vous parliez |
| Ils/Elles | -aient | Ils/Elles parlaient |
Example with finir (nous finissons):
- Je finissais
- Tu finissais
- Il/Elle finissait
- Nous finissions
- Vous finissiez
- Ils/Elles finissaient
Example with vendre (nous vendons):
- Je vendais
- Tu vendais
- Il/Elle vendait
- Nous vendions
- Vous vendiez
- Ils/Elles vendaient
Use the 'nous' form stem from the present tense for imparfait.
The imparfait endings are -ais (je), -ions (nous), -aient (ils).
Examples
| Verb | Nous Form | Je | During childhood | In a story... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parler (to speak) | parlons | Je parlais | Je parlais français à la maison. | Je parlais, tu écoutais... |
| Finir (to finish) | finissons | Je finissais | Nous finissions nos devoirs chaque soir. | Elle finissait son repas quand... |
| Vendre (to sell) | vendons | Je vendais | Ils vendaient des bonbons dans la cour. | Le magasin vendait des jouets. |
- Attach fluency: Think of imparfait as "was/were + -ing," "used to," or "would" for past routines and descriptions.
Use imparfait for routines, background, and emotions—not for isolated facts.
Use the 'nous' form stem minus '-ons' for imparfait.
Imparfait endings are -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.
Conclusion
The imparfait is your go-to tense for painting pictures of the past in French—whether by describing routines, setting scenes, or expressing states and feelings.
- Use imparfait for past habits, background info, and ongoing states.
- Regular verbs use the stem from the nous form + imparfait endings.
- Mastering imparfait unlocks richer, more nuanced storytelling in French.