Notes les novembre Le passé composé et l’imparfait (Révision) Le passé composé is used to express completed actions in the past and never expresses ongoing or habitual actions in the past. This is the most important thing to remember about the passé composé.

Le passé composé is used… …to talk about events that happened at a specific point in time or lasted for a specific amount of time in the past. J’ai fini mes devoirs hier soir. I finished my homework last night.

Le passé composé is used… …to express a series of events in the past. J’ai mis mes livres dans mon sac à dos et je suis parti. I put my books in my backpack and I left.

Le passé composé is used … …to indicate a change in mental, emotional or physical state. Soudain, j’ai eu faim. Suddenly, I was hungry.

Le passé composé is used… …to narrate facts in a story. Ils ont passé une journée très agréable chez nous. They spent a very enjoyable day at our house.

L’imparfait expresses ongoing or habitual actions in the past. It is also used to describe the physical or personality characteristics of people and things in the past.

L’imparfait expresses… … ongoing actions (actions in progress) in the past. Vous regardiez la télé à cinq heures. You were watching TV at 5 o’clock.

L’imparfait expresses… …habitual or repetitive actions in the past. Nous allions tous les jours à la plage en été. We used to go to the beach every day in the summer.

… ongoing physical or mental states. Elle était toujours fatiguée. She was always tired. L’imparfait expresses…

…the setting of a story. Il était trois heures et il pleuvait. It was three o’clock and it was raining. L’imparfait describes…

…people and things in the past. C’était une belle journée. It was a beautiful day. L’imparfait describes…