Page 1 - Lecon -6 Les loisirs et les sports Lesson note - 1

SAI International School
Class-IX

nd
Subject- 2 Lang French
Topic- Les loisirs et les sports
LESSON NOTE -1

L’imparfait

Imperfect tense

The imperfect tense (l’imparfait) is used to describe states of being and habitual actions in
the past and also refers to events without a specific duration .

USAGE OF THE IMPERFECT

The imperfect is used in French under several different circumstances . the imperfect is
used:

• To refer to previously ongoing and repeated events that are now completely
finished.

• To express an action that happened often in the past, such as a habit that one has
grown out of.
Ex. “ I used to eat a chocolate while watching the news.” is in french << Je mangeais
un chocolat en regardant les informations.>> (phrases like ‘I used to do’ … and ‘ I
would do’)
• In describing the past, including things such as – time, location, weather, age
,physical apprearance, physical and emotional conditions or states, attitudes and

desires and other mental experiences.
• Actions that occurred while something else was happening.
• To compare and contrast events in the present with events in the past.
• To talk about the conditions or abstract qualities of a person/thing in the past.
• To suggest or ask certain “forceful” questions such as “Si on faisait une promenade
?”
Note : the following verbs which are used to describe state or circumstances , are
often seen in the imparfait. (avoir, desirer, etre, preferer, penser, esperer, detester,

pouvoir, savoir, devoir)

FORMATION OF THE IMPERFECT