How can you tell the difference between imparfait and passe compose?

How can you tell the difference between imparfait and passe compose?

In a nutshell, the imparfait is used for incomplete actions while the passé composé is reserved for completed ones, but of course it’s more complicated than that.

How do you tell the difference between future and conditional in French?

The present tense, all the verb forms of the past tense, and the future are all reality describers. The conditional expresses the hypothetic and the possible. In English it is expressed using would and sometimes should or could.

What is the difference between the perfect and imperfect tense in French?

The perfect and the imperfect tenses are often used in the same sentence. The imperfect tense is used for an ongoing action that was interrupted by a sudden action – in the perfect tense. For example: – He was playing football (imperfect) when he fell over (perfect).

What is imparfait used for?

The imparfait is used to describe people, places, conditions or situations in the past. Some verbs occur more frequently in the imparfait when they are in the past since they typically describe states of being: être, avoir, vouloir, pouvoir. But these verbs do sometimes occur in the passé composé.

What is the difference between the future and conditional tenses?

The conditional tense describes what you would like to do given certain conditions, and the future tense describes events that will happen in the future.

How do you know when to use imperfect or perfect?

Past tense (perfect) This kind of past tense is called a perfect tense. It is used to describe an action in the past which is completed. To describe a past action or state which is incomplete, we use an imperfect tense. This tense indicates an action which has gone on over a period time or has happened frequently.

When do you use ” conditionnel ” versus ” imparfait ” in French?

In French, by using the conditional in the sentence above, you are not stating outright that Jean Tremblay broke into three businesses and are thus protecting yourself legally. “Imparfait” is equivalent to Past continuous in English: “I was walking” -> “Je marchais”.

When to use imparfait instead of imperfect tense?

Therefore, shouldn’t the conditional tense be used instead of the imperfect tense ? You can use the imparfait for an action that nearly happened, if a condition had been met. Very often, the condition is then not expressed with the usual “si + verb” but with a short phrase.

When do you use the word conditional in French?

Either the future or conditional is used to refer to future actions when talking about the past. Le candidat a dit qu’il aiderait les pauvres. The candidate said he would help the poor. Le candidat a dit qu’il aidera les pauvres!

When do you use ” SI ” in a conditional tense?

Note that “si” is used with the verb conjugated in the imperfect tense. It is never possible to use “si” with a verb in the conditional tense. “Si” is used in the part of the sentence that expresses the condition. The conditional tense is used to express the potential outcome of the condition.