When to use the imperfect tense
- To describe something or someone in the past (for example: setting the scene).
- To talk about a repeated or ongoing action in the past (usually translated as ‘used to’ or ‘was/were doing’ in English).
How to form the imperfect tense (regular verbs)
- Take the ‘nous’ form of the verb in the present tense to get the stem.
- Drop the ‘-ons’ You now have the stem.
Add the correct imperfect ending for each pronoun:
| Je | – ais |
| Tu | – ais |
| Il/elle/on | – ait |
| Nous | – ions |
| Vous | – iez |
| Ils/elles | – aient |
- Write the ‘nous’ form of the verbs below in the present tense.
Use a dictionary if necessary to check the verbs marked with an asterisk (*).
- Drop the ‘-ons’ ending of the verbs to find the stem for the imperfect tense.
- Add the correct imperfect endings for each pronoun and write the English meaning.
The only verb that has an irregular stem in the imperfect tense is ‘être’.
The stem of ‘ét-’ is easy to remember if you already know that ‘c’était’ means ‘it was’.
J’étais
Tu étais
Il/elle était
Nous étions
Vous étiez
Ils/elles étaient
- Circle the six verbs in the imperfect tense.
| a. j’étais | b. nous regardons | c. tu joues | d. il demandait |
| e. je voyageais | f. elle va partir | g. je vais acheter | h. je m’appelle |
| i. il s’appelait | j. elle nageait | k. nous finissions | l. je prends. |
- Re-write the present tense sentences in the imperfect tense.
Exemple: Je joue au tennis. (I play tennis.) Je jouais au tennis .(I used to play tennis.)- Je regarde la télé. (I watch TV.)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
(I used to watch / I was watching TV.) - Je fais la vaisselle. ( I do the washing-up.)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
(I used to do / I was doing the washing up.) - Je prends un bain. (I take a bath.)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
(I used to take / I was taking a bath.) - Je peux toucher mes doigts de pied. (I can touch my toes.)
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
(I used to be able to touch / I could touch my toes.) - Je nage tous les samedis. (I swim every Saturday.)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
(I used to swim every Saturday.) - Je vais au cinéma tous les weekends. (I go to the cinema every week-end.)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
(I used to go to the cinema every weekend.)
- Je regarde la télé. (I watch TV.)
Answers
1.
2.
3.
4. a, d, e, i, j, k
5.
- Je regardais la télé.
- Je faisais la vaisselle.
- Je prenais un bain.
- Je pouvais toucher mes doigts de pied.
- Je nageais tous les samedis.
- J’allais au cinéma tous les weekends.
