This French 2 lesson explains imparfait step by step, with examples in French and English. Then practise with the worksheet on imparfait and check yourself with the quiz.
Quick answer: The imparfait is the French past tense for habits, descriptions and background scenes. To form it, take the nous form of the present tense, remove -ons, and add -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient. Only être is irregular, with the stem ét-. It often translates English “used to”, “was doing” and repeated “would”.
Level: French 2 (high school, ACTFL Novice High) · Standards: ACTFL Novice High, WL 1.1 Interpersonal, WL 1.2 Interpretive, WL 1.3 Presentational
Imparfait: the lesson
How do you form the imparfait?
Rule: stem + ending
Start with the nous form of the present tense, drop -ons, then add one of six endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient. The endings are the same for every verb, even irregular ones.
| Subject | parler (parl-) | finir (finiss-) | prendre (pren-) | faire (fais-) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | parlais | finissais | prenais | faisais |
| tu | parlais | finissais | prenais | faisais |
| il, elle, on | parlait | finissait | prenait | faisait |
| nous | parlions | finissions | prenions | faisions |
| vous | parliez | finissiez | preniez | faisiez |
| ils, elles | parlaient | finissaient | prenaient | faisaient |
What is the one irregular verb?
Only être has an irregular stem, ét-, with the regular endings: j’étais, tu étais, il était, nous étions, vous étiez, ils étaient.
Spelling changes
- manger keeps its e before a: je mangeais, but nous mangions.
- commencer takes a cedilla before a: je commençais, but nous commencions.
- étudier doubles the i: nous étudiions, vous étudiiez.
When do you use the imparfait?
Think of the background of a movie: the scenery, the routine, the mood. Single events come later, with another tense.
- Habits: Chaque été, nous allions à Annecy. — Every summer, we went to Annecy.
- Description: Ma grand-mère avait les cheveux gris. — My grandmother had gray hair.
- Background: Il pleuvait et il était huit heures. — It was raining and it was eight o’clock.
- Feelings and age: À sept ans, j’adorais le chocolat chaud. — At seven, I loved hot chocolate.
Watch out
English has three ways to say one idea: I used to play, I was playing, and I would play every day. French often needs only Je jouais. When would means a past habit, never use je jouerais.
Culture note
French fairy tales open with Il était une fois… — Once upon a time… The imparfait paints the scene before anything happens.
Zoé’s tip
Listen for signal words such as autrefois, souvent, toujours, d’habitude, tous les samedis and quand j’étais petite. They announce a routine or a background picture.
Key points to remember
- Stem: the nous form of the present minus -ons (nous parlons gives parl-).
- Endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient for every verb.
- Être is the only irregular stem: ét- (j’étais, nous étions).
- Uses: habits, descriptions, weather, time, age, feelings and childhood memories.
- Signal words: autrefois, souvent, toujours, chaque été, quand j’étais petit.
Remembering the Past with the Imparfait: frequently asked questions
How do you form the imparfait in French?
Take the nous form of the present tense, remove -ons, and add -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient. For example, nous finissons gives finiss-, so je finissais.
Which verb has an irregular imparfait stem?
Only être. Its stem is ét-, so you say j’étais, tu étais, il était, nous étions, vous étiez, ils étaient. Every other verb follows the nous rule, even faire (fais-) and avoir (av-).
Does the imparfait mean “used to”?
Yes, often. Je jouais can mean I used to play, I was playing, or I would play (as a habit). The context and the signal words tell you which English version fits best.
Why do some verbs have two i’s in the imparfait?
Verbs whose nous stem ends in -i, like étudier, keep that i before the ending -ions or -iez. That is why you write nous étudiions and vous étudiiez, with a double i.
When should I choose the imparfait instead of another past tense?
Choose it for habits, descriptions, weather, time, age and feelings in the past. It sets the scene. A one-time event that interrupts the scene needs a different tense.