What is the difference between the "passé composé" and "imparfait" tenses?

Passé composé and imparfait (or imperfect) are both past tenses, but are used in different circumstances.The imparfait is most commonly used when speaking about: events that are not specifically defined within a time bracket, that are continuous, e.g. "I was going to the supermarket" becomes "J'allais au supermarché."a routine in the past, e.g. "I took the bus every day" becomes "Je prenais le bus tous les jours."secondary events, e.g. "I was closing the door, when I heard a noise." becomes "Je fermais la porte, quand j'ai entendu un bruit."The passé composé is most commonly used when speaking about:the recent past, e.g. "Yesterday, I went to the supermarket" becomes "Hier, je suis allé au supermarché."a specific, pointed event, e.g. e.g. "I was closing the door, when I heard a noise." becomes "Je fermais la porte, quand j'ai entendu un bruit."