Rules and usage
The imparfait is the French imperfect tense, expressing past actions and situations that were ongoing, repeated, or used as background description. It is one of the most important past tenses you will encounter, and understanding when and how to use it is essential for speaking and writing fluently about the past.
When to Use the Imparfait
- Descriptions in the past: Il faisait beau ce jour-là. (The weather was nice that day.)
- Habitual or repeated actions: Je visitais ma grand-mère chaque dimanche. (I visited my grandmother every Sunday.)
- Background or ongoing situations: Pendant que je dormais, il y avait une tempête. (While I was sleeping, there was a storm.)
- States of mind or conditions: J'étais heureux quand j'étais enfant. (I was happy when I was a child.)
- The setting for a narrative: Il était minuit. Les rues étaient vides. (It was midnight. The streets were empty.)
✅ Positive sentence examples
| French | English |
|---|
| Je parlais avec mon ami. | I was speaking with my friend. |
| Elle mangeait une pomme. | She was eating an apple. |
⛔ Negative sentence examples
| French | English |
|---|
| Je ne dormais pas bien. | I was not sleeping well. |
| Elle n'aimait pas le café. | She did not like coffee. |
❓ Question sentence examples
| French | English |
|---|
| Parlais-tu souvent avec tes parents? | Did you speak often with your parents? |
| Qu'est-ce qu'elle faisait? | What was she doing? |