In L'Imparfait, MOST verbs follow the same pattern of conjugation (EXCEPT for être - Conjugate être in L'Imparfait (imperfect tense))
Look at these examples of verbs in L'Imparfait:
Je faisais un château de sable.
I was making a sandcastle.
Tu chantais à l'école?
Were you singing at school?
Elle avait un chien.
She had a dog.
Nous parlions français ensemble.
We used to speak French together.
Vous choisissiez votre maison.
You were choosing your house.
Ils étaient meilleurs amis cette année-là.
They were best friends that year.
The Imperfect tense (L'Imparfait) is very easy to conjugate as most verbs, regular and irregular conjugate the same way.
Take the Présent 'nous' form of the verb and drop the -ons ending and add these endings:
| je / j' | -ais |
| tu | -ais |
| il/elle/on | -ait |
| nous | -ions |
| vous | -iez |
| ils/elles | -aient |
E.g. faire: nous faisons (we are doing) -> je faisais
Notice L'imparfait is used in a variety of ways where we use very different tenses in English!
When to use the French Imperfect Tense (L'Imparfait)
Expressing continuing action in L'Imparfait (imperfect tense)
Expressing habits or repeated actions in L'Imparfait (imperfect tense)
Describing and expressing opinions in L'Imparfait (imperfect tense)
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
avoir
Elle avait un chien.
She had a dog.
chanter
Tu chantais à l'école?
Were you singing at school?
choisir
Vous choisissiez votre maison.
You were choosing your house.
faire
Je faisais un château de sable.
I was making a sandcastle.
Nous faisions du sport.
We used to do sport.
finir
Il finissait son repas.
He was finishing his meal.
parler
Nous parlions français ensemble.
We used to speak French together.
Lea
Kwiziq community member
6 July 2016
2 replies
the verb sourire has an irregular spelling in l'imparfait. Can you explicate this? Thank you, Lea
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
7 July 2016
7/07/16
Bonjour Lea !
The verb "sourire" does follow the rule of that lesson:
the Présent form for "nous" is: nous sourions
So if we follow the rule, the stem for l'Imparfait will be souri-
E.g. je souriais, tu souriais, il souriait, nous souriions, vous souriiez, ils souriaient
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !
William
Kwiziq community member
20 March 2017
20/03/17
In the Michel Thomas Series he said: Except for être (vous êtes) , faire (vous faites) and dire (vous dites), the "sound" of the first person singular (imperfect) always follows the "sound" of the 2nd person plural of the present tense.
vous avez (j'avais), vous parlez (je parlais), vous devez (je devais), vous voulez (je voulais) etc.
Go to online conjugator @ http://conjugator.reverso.net/conjugation-french-verb-pouvoir.html
and check for yourself.