The imperfect tense (l'imparfait) describes ongoing or repeated actions in the past. It's often called the "descriptive past" as it sets the scene and describes what "was happening" or "used to happen." It is used for:
- Habitual actions in the past ("I used to speak French")
- Ongoing situations ("It was raining")
- Descriptions of physical/mental states ("I was tired")
- Background information in stories
- Wishes or suggestions ("I wanted to ask you...")
- Simultaneous past actions ("While I was reading, she was cooking")
Regular Conjugations
| Pronoun | -er | -ir (finir type) | -re |
|---|---|---|---|
| je | -ais | -issais | -ais |
| tu | -ais | -issais | -ais |
| il/elle/on | -ait | -issait | -ait |
| nous | -ions | -issions | -ions |
| vous | -iez | -issiez | -iez |
| ils/elles | -aient | -issaient | -aient |
The imperfect endings are the same for every verb; only the stem changes.
Regular -er verb: parler in Imparfait
finir keeps the -iss- of its nous form: nous finissons, je finissais.
Regular -ir verb: finir in Imparfait
vendre drops the -re and takes the same endings.
Regular -re verb: vendre in Imparfait
Common Irregular Verbs
Only être breaks the rule here; the others build on their nous stem like every other verb.
| Pronoun | être | avoir | faire | aller |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | étais | avais | faisais | allais |
| tu | étais | avais | faisais | allais |
| il/elle/on | était | avait | faisait | allait |
| nous | étions | avions | faisions | allions |
| vous | étiez | aviez | faisiez | alliez |
| ils/elles | étaient | avaient | faisaient | allaient |
Note: The imparfait is highly regular. For almost every verb, take the present nous form, remove -ons, and add the ending.