Top answers

When do I use the imperfect tense?

There are three main uses for the imperfect tense:For descriptions in the past e.g. C'était une expérience incroyable (it was an incredible experience)For repeated actions in the past e.g. Je jouais au tenni...
HF
Answered by Hannah F. • French tutor
2054 Views

when to use the passé simple or the imparfait?

The imparfait and the passé simple are two past tenses in French but both are used differently. The imparfait is used to : describe a past action in which the time is not determined such as: "il lavait ...
CL
Answered by Clea L. • French tutor
2997 Views

Why do some past participles agree, even with 'avoir'?

The general rule is that past participles taking 'avoir' as the auxiliary do not agree. However, consider this example:"Avez-vous acheté la voiture ?" "Oui, je l' ai acheté e hier."You wi...
DF
Answered by Daniel F. • French tutor
2285 Views

"j'ai cueilli des fleures"; "je les ai cueillies". Why does the participle on the one hand take an "i" at the end, and on the other hand an "ies"?

This is an example of how the agreement of the past particle works with the auxiliary "avoir" (have), "j'ai" at the first person singular. The agreement of the past particle with the auxi...
JT
2552 Views

When should I use the subjunctive?

The subjunctive is not a tense, but a mood.This means it can be applied to (or used) in different tenses.There are specific phrases which are followed by the subjunctive, however there are also certain circu...
EC
Answered by Emma C. • French tutor
2145 Views