The Past Tense
Tap a French term to hear it pronounced.
The passé composé (
le passé composé
) (see passé composé conjugations) is used to report activities as they are completed.
Elle a donné un coup de pied dans le ballon.
She kicked the ball.
She kicked the ball.
Il a mangé une groseille.
He ate a redcurrant.
He ate a redcurrant.
La France a perdu une bataille ! Mais la France n’a pas perdu la guerre. - Charles de Gaulle 1940
France lost a battle! But France has not lost the war.
France lost a battle! But France has not lost the war.
Some activities occur in the background and are continuous. These activities are expressed using the imperfect (
l'imparfait
) (see imperfect conjugations).
Pierre a plongé dans l'eau froide et a nagé jusqu'au bateau bien que la mer était agitée et que les vagues martelaient le rivage.
Pierre dove into the cold water and swam to the boat even though the sea was rough and the waves pounded the shore.
Pierre dove into the cold water and swam to the boat even though the sea was rough and the waves pounded the shore.
The imperfect is used in expressing enduring qualities or characteristics. (This makes sense of course because enduring qualities are ongoing.)
Le bateau était en bois blanc. C'était un bateau de pêche.
The boat was white and wooden. It was a fishing boat.
The boat was white and wooden. It was a fishing boat.
The imperfect is also used to paint the background, to describe ongoing actions that take place continuously as actions are completed.
Les tomates mijotaient dans l'huile d'olive. Magalie sentait la chaleur du feu. Rapidement, elle y a jeté le basilic et l'origan.
The tomatoes simmered in the olive oil. Magalie felt the heat of the fire. Quickly, she threw in the basil and the oregano.
The tomatoes simmered in the olive oil. Magalie felt the heat of the fire. Quickly, she threw in the basil and the oregano.
The
passé simple
(see passé simple conjugations) is used instead of the passé composé in formal writing.
Il naquit dans une pauvre famille de laboureurs. - Victor Hugo, Les Misérables
He was born in a poor family of farmers.
He was born in a poor family of farmers.
Il prit sa plume, écrivit quelques mots, puis s’arrêta. - Guy de Maupassant
He took his pen, wrote a few words, then stopped.
He took his pen, wrote a few words, then stopped.
