Imparfait Passe Simple Passe Compose Plus Que Parfait
Imparfait Passe Simple Passe Compose Plus Que Parfait
Imparfait Passe Simple Passe Compose Plus Que Parfait
2. Use:
a. To describe an action habitually repeated in the past. Example: Il mangeait toujours dans le mme restaurant. b. For general description. Example: Leur maison tait trs belle. c. To provide a context by which or within which another past action is situated. Example: Je lisais quand elle est entre. d. For indirect discours. Example: Paul a dit qu'il n'aimait pas les Allemands. There is no single English tense that corresponds by itself to the French imperfect. Normally, some form of a past tense or a "used to ..." or "would ..." construction will suffice
to translate an imperfect verb. Here is how each of the examples could be translated: a.' He used to eat always in the same restaurant. / He would always eat in the same restaurant. b.' Their home was very beautiful. c.' I was reading when she came in. d.' Paul said he did not like the Germans.
2. Use:
To relate unique events that have been completed, are viewed as "over and done with" in the past. (In this regard, it expresses past events that have been completed in parallel fashion to the pass compos. See H. 1.) The pass simple is a literary preterite, and may seldom be encountered outside formal writing. In conversational French, the pass compos is almost always preferred. Example: Il crivit ds son retour. ~ Il a crit ds son retour. The pass simple may distinguish itself from the pass compos, in that the event given in the pass simple is seen to have less significance for the present moment, according to some grammarians. Example: Csar envahit la Gaule ~ Csar a envahi la Gaule.
2. Use:
To relate unique events that have been completed, are viewed as "over and done with" in the past. It corresponds to the English present perfect or simple past. Tu as cout ce disque? could be rendered into English as: You listened to this record? or Have you listened to this record? or -- for that manner -- even Did you listen to this record? in the emphatic past. Examples: Csar a envahi la Gaule. Jean a parl avec son prof. La voiture s'est arrte devant le muse. It may also be used for repetitive actions in the past, but only if the time period during which the repeated actions occurred is explicitly indicated. Example: Il est venu me voir tous les jeudis. D. Pluperfect -- Indicative (le plus-que-parfait) 1. Formation: a. For most verbs in French, use the imperfect tense of avoir (avais, avais, avait; avions, aviez, avaient) plus the past participle of the verb that is being used in the pluperfect. b. Certain verbs (a minority), usually but not always intransitive verbs of motion or change in state of being, require that the imperfect tense of tre (tais, tais, tait; tions, tiez, taient) be used instead of avoir. c. There is only one past participle for all compound tenses in French. Concerning the form it takes for regular verbs. 2. Use: Just as the pass compos relates unique events that have been completed, are viewed as "over and done with" in the past, so, too, does the pluperfect. It corresponds to the English pluperfect. With French and English, the pluperfect indicates that an action takes place in a remote past, or, at least, that an action takes place before another past action
or state. Tu avais cout ce disque avant de le condamner ? could be rendered into English as: Had you listened to this record before condemning it? Example: Ils avaient dj fini leurs devoirs, quand le professeur est entr dans la salle.