Imparfait vs.

Passe Compose

Imparfait
Used to describe:
1. People or things as they were or used to be
2. Conditions as they were or used to be (setting the scene)
3. Past actions that took place regularly or repeatedly

Imparfait Conjugation

***etre is irregular with its stem being et-

Passe Compose
Used to describe:
1. An action completed in the past
2. An action completed a specific number of times in the past
3. A series of actions completed in the past

Passe Compose Conjugation

How to Know when to use which

Imparfait

Passe Compose

How were things?

What happened?

Repeated actions

Completed actions

Background information

Events that took place only one

Description of circumstances or conditions

Descriptions of specific events at a certain

time

Keep in Mind

Imparfait and passe compose can be used in the same sentence

Non-action verbs are generally in the imparfait (adorer, aimer, croire, etre,
pouvoir, preferer, vouloir)
Action verbs will often be passe compose (deviner, dessiner)
The different time expressions used for each:
Imparfait

Passe Compose

Le samedi

samedi , un samedi

Le matin, le soir

Un matin, un soir

Dhabitude

Une fois