These past habits are often translated as 'used to, or 'would. Note that the imparfait may also be translated by the simple past in English; however, the context, and often adverbs, let you know the action is a past habit. Edouard: Do you remember, in the summer in Paris, when the weather was hot? There is no easily understood start or finish to this action, demanding the use of the imperfect.
Je passais mes vacances chez mes grands parents. In this example, we understand that someone routinely spent their holidays with their grandparents. I was cleaning, I was speaking, I was eating…. The English imperfect also uses would and used to, when expressing things that were done in the past but are no longer taking place.
For example:. And for once in the history of the French language, there is only one exception to the rule. There are also a few rules you want to keep in mind.
The most important thing to note is that verbs ending in -cer or -ger change spelling slightly for pronunciation purposes. If you ever bump into me on the street, you can ask me about the time I mistakenly used the word baiser in conversation with a sweet little old lady at church in Paris.
The most common mistake French learners make in the imperfect? When Lucas was a kid, he was a big eater. Every day he would bake a cake with his friend Florence. While he was reading the recipe, Florence was preparing the cake batter. They baked the cake and then ate a piece for dessert.
Je suis prof ici depuis So I vote for the imperfect, if that helps. You must log in to post a comment. Lawless French » Grammar Lessons. Incomplete vs Complete Imparfait explains what was happening, with no indication of when or even if it ended. I was at school. Je faisais mes devoirs. I was doing my homework. I arrived early. I finished my homework. Uncounted vs Counted Imparfait details what used to happen on a regular basis, or happened an indefinite number of times. I used to study on Mondays.
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