How do I use the imperfect in French?

In French, the imperfect is used to describe a scene (il FAISAIT beau), to say that you did something regularly in the past (je MANGEAIS un burger toutes les semaines) or to describe a continuous action in the past (je COURAIS très vite).

It is formed by taking the nous form of the present, taking off the 'ons' and adding the endings (ais, ais, ait, ions, iez, aient). For example, if I want to say "you (plural) used to say", I would take the nous form of the present (nous disons), take off the ending and add iez. "Vous disiez". Et voilà!

SG
Answered by Sérina G. French tutor

3032 Views

See similar French GCSE tutors

Related French GCSE answers

All answers ▸

What is the difference between 'qui' and 'que'?


Which verbs conjugate with être in the perfect tense, and how can I remember these?


What is the difference between 'y' and 'en'?


I'm worried about my oral exam, what advice can you give me?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2025

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences