How do you know if its imparfait or passé composé?
Imparfait is used for an ongoing action. For example J’allais en India (I was going to India). passé composé is used for some events that started and ended in the past time. For example Je suis allé en India ( I went to India).
How do you use imparfait and passé composé together?
We use the imparfait to describe conditions, or the backdrop to the main action. This is one reason why the imparfait and passé composé are often used in the same passage or phrase—the imparfait sets up the main action by giving background, while the passé composé is used for the primary, completed action.
What is the difference between passé composé and imparfait in French?
When used in the same sentence, Imparfait will be used for the background action, the longer action that’s going on, and Passé-composé for the specific shorter action.
Can you use passé composé and imparfait in the same sentence?
It is used for past actions/events that happened once, with a clear beginning and end, as well as for a succession of actions in the past. Now look at these sentences where both Le Passé Composé and L’Imparfait are used: Je prenais une douche quand le téléphone a sonné. I was taking a shower when the phone rang.
Do you use imparfait for age?
Time and age Whenever you talk about a specific time in the past in which your narrative takes place, or describe how old you were when something happened, use the imparfait.
How do you know when to use passé composé?
The passé composé is a French tense used for the past. The passé composé corresponds mostly to the English simple past or the present perfect. The passé composé talks about specific actions that were completed in the past. In spoken French language, the passé composé is always used instead of the passé simple.
How do you know if a sentence is imparfait?
Imparfait details what used to happen on a regular basis, or happened an indefinite number of times. J’étudiais le lundi. I used to study on Mondays. Je perdais constamment mon livre.
What 3 things does the imparfait mean when used?
The imparfait is used to describe people, places, conditions or situations in the past. Some verbs occur more frequently in the imparfait when they are in the past since they typically describe states of being: être, avoir, vouloir, pouvoir. But these verbs do sometimes occur in the passé composé.