The imperfect tense in French is your go-to grammar tool...
French174 views·Updated 30 Jun 2026·1 pageMastering GCSE French: A Guide to the Imperfect Tense
1
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The French Imperfect Tense
Ever wondered how to say "I used to..." in French? The imperfect tense is perfect for describing your childhood habits, what you were like as a kid, or things that happened regularly in the past. Think of it as your storytelling tense!
You've already been using two imperfect forms without realising it: c'était (it was) and il y avait (there was/were). These pop up everywhere in French, so you're already on the right track.
The formation is actually dead simple. Take any verb's nous form in present tense, chop off the -ons ending, and add these new endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient. For example, nous regardons becomes je regardais (I used to watch).
There's just one awkward verb to remember: être (to be) uses the irregular stem ét-, giving you j'étais, tu étais, and so on. Once you've got this down, you can describe your entire childhood in French!
Quick Tip: The imperfect tense endings are the same for ALL verbs (except être's stem), so learn them once and you're sorted for life!
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French174 views·Updated 30 Jun 2026·1 pageMastering GCSE French: A Guide to the Imperfect Tense
The imperfect tense in French is your go-to grammar tool for talking about what you used to do in the past. It's like the difference between "I played football yesterday" and "I used to play football when I was younger"...
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The French Imperfect Tense
Ever wondered how to say "I used to..." in French? The imperfect tense is perfect for describing your childhood habits, what you were like as a kid, or things that happened regularly in the past. Think of it as your storytelling tense!
You've already been using two imperfect forms without realising it: c'était (it was) and il y avait (there was/were). These pop up everywhere in French, so you're already on the right track.
The formation is actually dead simple. Take any verb's nous form in present tense, chop off the -ons ending, and add these new endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient. For example, nous regardons becomes je regardais (I used to watch).
There's just one awkward verb to remember: être (to be) uses the irregular stem ét-, giving you j'étais, tu étais, and so on. Once you've got this down, you can describe your entire childhood in French!
Quick Tip: The imperfect tense endings are the same for ALL verbs (except être's stem), so learn them once and you're sorted for life!
We thought you’d never ask...
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
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Explore the conjugation of regular and common irregular French verbs in the present tense. This summary covers infinitives ending in -er, -ir, and -re, along with essential verbs like 'avoir', 'être', and 'faire'. Ideal for students preparing for exams or seeking to strengthen their French grammar skills.
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