tips on when to use the passe compose or the imparfait?

abdul

Aero Fighters Flyboy
Joined
May 24, 2003
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2,088
any tips, I got a test on this on tuesday, and i want to get som e practice.

thanks
 

kuk

Benimaru's Hairdresser
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Feb 13, 2005
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792
write in french for beginning your practice... :glee:
 

Vincere

No longer Tristesse
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Dec 26, 2003
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1,506
The "passé composé" is refering to an action in the past that is definatly over when you speak of it and not lasting.

For instance:
"J'ai mangé une pizza hier soir."

-->You ate the pizza yesterday evening but this constatation is no more valid and is limited in time, only for the time of the meal.

The "Imparfait" is refering to a lasting action in the past, and thus that is finished at the moment you speak of it.

For instance:
"Je nageais dans la mer."

-->So you were swimming in the sea, which is a past event but this action lasted during the time you did it actually.

The main thing to keep in mind is that the "passé composé" focuses on the past notion whereas "imparfait" focuses on the notion of duration in the past.
If you are wondering which verb you gotta use, just use the time concordance. Usually, when the simple past is used in a sentence, it usually referes to "passé composé" in french and same for past continuous to "imparfait". ;)
 
Last edited:

Gaelsano

Armored Scrum Object
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May 15, 2005
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250
un autre example: referring to a status like I was married..(I was being in the status of marriage, kind of). Basically things that might approximate English's past ongoing tense. Je regrette que je n'ai pas beaucoup de vocabulaire. Je ne parlais pas de puis 2003.

-Fin
 

Urbain03

Quiz Detective
Joined
May 24, 2004
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83
:shame:

"Je regrette de ne pas avoir beaucoup de vocabulaire. Je n'ai plus parlé français depuis 2003"

:D
 

kuk

Benimaru's Hairdresser
Joined
Feb 13, 2005
Posts
792
presque parfais :D, il manque juste l'article

Je regrette de ne pas avoir beaucoup de vocabulaire. Je n'ai plus parlé le français depuis 2003"
 
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