L''Imparfait in French Grammar
The imparfait (the imperfect) is a French past tense. It describes states and actions that were ongoing or repeated in the past.
When to use the imperfect tense in French
to describe a situation in the past
to describe a person, a property, a comment or an explanation in the past
to talk about a repeated action in the past
to talk about simultaneously occurring actions in the past
to emphasise the duration of an action
How to conjugate the imperfect tense in French
The Secret Formula
| Person | aimer | finir | dormir |
|---|---|---|---|
| je | aimais | finissais | dormais |
| tu | aimais | finissais | dormais |
| il/elle | aimait | finissait | dormait |
| nous | aimions | finissions | dormions |
| vous | aimiez | finissiez | dormiez |
| ils/elles | aimaient | finissaient | dormaient |
Exceptions to the conjugation rules
Exceptions to the conjugation rules
- Verbs ending in -cer add a cedilla before -ais/-ait/-aient: commencer → je commençais
- Verbs ending in -ger add -e before -ais/-ait/-aient: manger → je mangeais
The Only Irregular Stem
être
Because its nous form is sommes, which doesn't follow the -ons pattern.
How to form the negative with the imparfait
Examples in Context
Quand j'étais petit, je jouais dans le jardin.
When I was little, I used to play in the garden.
Il faisait beau et les oiseaux chantaient.
It was beautiful and the birds were singing.
Tous les étés, nous allions à la plage.
Every summer, we went to the beach.
Je lisais quand le téléphone a sonné.
I was reading when the phone rang.
Si j'étais riche, je voyagerais.
If I were rich, I would travel.
Elle voulait vous parler.
She wanted to speak to you.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Je suis été content.
J'étais content.
Imparfait is a SIMPLE tense — no auxiliary. 'Je suis été' is a confusion with passé composé. Imparfait: j'étais, tu étais, il était. The ending does all the work.
Il a plu tout le week-end.
Il pleuvait tout le week-end.
For descriptions and ongoing states in the past (weather, emotions, scenery), use imparfait. Il pleuvait = it was raining (ongoing state). Il a plu = it rained (completed event). Choose based on perspective.
Nous faisions du ski chaque hiver. (using faire correctly) / Nous allions skier.
Nous faisions du ski chaque hiver. (correct)
Habitual past actions use imparfait. 'Chaque hiver' signals a habit → imparfait. The nous form ending is -ions: nous faisions, nous allions, nous prenions.
Memory Trick
🎥 The Video Camera Tense
Imparfait is the 'video camera' of French past tenses — it shows ONGOING action, like footage rolling. Form it from the nous form: nous parl-ons → je parl-ais, tu parl-ais, il parl-ait. Être is the only rebel: j'étais. Think of imparfait as the background music of a scene — always playing, setting the mood — while passé composé is the specific drum hit that punctuates the action.
TEF/TCF Exam Tip
Imparfait is a B1 grammar point in TEF/TCF. At B1, basic formation and habitual descriptions. B2: imparfait vs passé composé distinction, si-clauses with imparfait, and depuis que + imparfait constructions. The most tested contrast: imparfait (background, ongoing, habit) vs passé composé (foreground, completed, event).
In Conversation
Sharing childhood memories:
Quand j'étais jeune, on n'avait pas d'ordinateurs.
Vraiment ? Qu'est-ce que tu faisais pour t'amuser ?
Je jouais dehors avec mes amis. On courait dans les champs, on grimpait aux arbres.
Ça avait l'air magnifique. Moi, je passe tout mon temps sur mon téléphone !
L'Imparfait — Free Exercise
FREE EXERCISESTest yourself with 20 interactive questions on tenses/imparfait. Get instant scoring with detailed explanations for every answer. Track your progress on PrepMyFrench.
AI Speaking Simulator — Use Imparfait
AI-GRADEDPractice describing past habits and scenes in French with PrepMyFrench's AI examiner. Get pronunciation feedback and a TEF/TCF-aligned score.