Imparfait - Cours COMPLET - Formation et Utilisations

Summary

In this video, the speaker introduces the imperfect tense in French, explaining its formation and usage. Starting with regular verbs, she outlines the rules for conjugating the imperfect, including exceptions for certain verb types. The speaker illustrates the tense's application for descriptions, ongoing actions, habits, simultaneous actions, and polite requests. Additionally, she covers its role in indirect speech and hypothetical statements. To aid understanding, a downloadable PDF is provided. This comprehensive guide is perfect for learners looking to master the imperfect tense in French.

Takeaways

• 😀 The imparfait tense is used for descriptions and comments in French.
• 😀 To form the imparfait, take the 'nous' form of the present tense and remove the -ons ending, then add the endings -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.
• 😀 Irregular verbs, like 'être', do not follow the standard formation and must be memorized.
• 😀 Verbs ending in -GER require a modification in the first-person plural form to maintain pronunciation.
• 😀 Verbs ending in -CER drop the cedilla for the first two plural forms to retain the correct sound.
• 😀 The imparfait can express actions without a defined start or end, emphasizing duration.
• 😀 It is used for repeated or habitual actions in the past, often indicated by phrases like 'tous les'.
• 😀 Simultaneous actions in the past are expressed using the imparfait, as seen in actions happening at the same time.
• 😀 The structure 'si + imparfait' is used to propose suggestions or polite requests.
• 😀 In indirect speech, verbs in the present tense are converted to the imparfait.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The video focuses on how to form and use the imparfait tense in French.

How is the imparfait formed?

To form the imparfait, take the 'nous' form of the present tense, remove the -ons ending, and add the endings -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.

Which verbs do not follow the regular formation rule for the imparfait?

Impersonal verbs like 'pleuvoir' and 'falloir,' as well as the verb 'être,' do not follow the regular formation rules.

What special considerations are there for verbs ending in -GER?

For -GER verbs, like 'manger,' the -e in the radical is dropped in the first-person plural forms to maintain the correct pronunciation.

How do -CER verbs differ in their imparfait formation?

For -CER verbs, like 'commencer,' the cedilla is removed in the first-person plural forms to ensure the 'c' is pronounced as [s].

What is a unique feature of -IER verbs in the imparfait?

-IER verbs have two 'i's in the first-person plural forms, one from the radical and one from the imparfait ending.

When is the imparfait used to describe actions?

The imparfait is used to describe ongoing situations, habitual actions, or to emphasize the duration of past actions.

How can the imparfait express politeness in requests?

The imparfait can replace the present conditional in spoken French to make requests more polite or less direct.

What structure is used for making hypotheses about the present?

The structure is 'si + imparfait + conditionnel présent' to express hypotheses about the present.

How does the imparfait function in reported speech?

In reported speech, if the direct speech verb is in the present, it changes to the imparfait when converted to indirect speech.