Don't know why this isn't imparfait

Hi Helen,

would you say, in English, "...where we used to sample Lyonnese specialites"? Or would it not rather be, "...where we samples Lyonnese specialties"? If the latter, then you use the passé composé in English.

-- Chris.

Hey, Chris-- so is that a trick to use when deciding on the imparfait vs passé composé to think... "I, we, etc. used to + imparfait". That helps a lot if that's the case because so many times I'm deciding between which tense to use about something in the past and it's not clear cut because there's no definite end time.  Thank you.

The French imparfait describes a longer lasting or usual action in the past. Like you were describing a scene in front of which an action took place (the action is in passé composé). 

In English you would use constructs like the continuous past tense:

I was going to school when I met you. -- J'allais à l'école quand je t'ai rencontré. 

But the same sentence could also mean "I used to go to school..."' expressing something that happened as a habit in the past. 

J'allais à l'école avec mes potes.  -- I used to go to school with my buddies.

With these two crutches you should be well kn your way of figuring out the imparfait. 

-- Chris.