Language Phrase Books
French Language
French II
41. Imperfect Tense
This past tense corresponds to "was, were or used to." This tense is used for repeated, continuous, or ongoing actions; as well as for verbs that describe background and circumstances, such as weather, time, and physical, mental, and emotional states. Use the passé composé for actions that happened once and are done. However, verbs that express mental and emotional states that are descriptive in nature are generally used in the imperfect in a past context. These verbs are: aimer, avoir, croire, détester, espérer, être, penser, and préférer.
To form the stem, use the nous form of the present tense and drop the -ons. Then add these endings:
|
-ais |
-ions |
|
-ais |
-iez |
|
-ait |
-aient |
The only exception is être in which you must use the stem ét-, but still the same endings. Verb stems that end in -c must use a cedilla (ç) under the c to make it soft. Verbs stems endings in -g keep the e before all forms except nous and vous.
|
être |
|
étais |
ay-teh |
étions |
ay-tee-ohn |
|
étais |
ay-teh |
étiez |
ay-tee-ay |
|
était |
ay-teh |
étaient |
ay-teh |
|
commencer |
manger |
|
commençais |
koh-mawn-seh |
commencions |
koh-mawn-see-ohn |
mangeais |
mawn-zheh |
mangions |
mawn-zhee-ohn |
|
commençais |
koh-mawn-seh |
commenciez |
koh-mawn-see-ay |
mangeais |
mawn-zheh |
mangiez |
mawn-zhee-ay |
|
commençait |
koh-mawn-seh |
commençaient |
koh-mawn-say |
mangeait |
mawn-zheh |
mangeaient |
mawn-zhay |
Avoir, Devoir, Pouvoir, Savoir, and Vouloir These verbs change meanings, according to whether they are used in the imperfect or the passé composé.
|
Imperfect |
Passé Composé |
|
avoir |
j'avais |
I had |
j'ai eu |
I got, received |
|
devoir |
je devais |
I was supposed to |
j'ai dû |
I must have, I had to (and did) |
|
pouvoir |
je pouvais |
I was capable |
j'ai pu |
I was able to (and did), succeeded |
|
je n'ai pas pu |
I couldn't, failed |
|
savoir |
je savais |
I knew |
j'ai su |
I found out, discovered |
|
vouloir |
je voulais |
I wanted to |
j'ai voulu je n'ai pas voulu |
I tried, decided, insisted I refused |
The imperfect tense is also used with these constructions:
|
être en train de + infinitive |
|
J'étais en train d'étudier quand vous êtes arrivés. |
I was (in the process of ) studying when you arrived |
|
aller + infinitive |
|
J'allais sortir quand le téléphone a sonné. |
I was going to leave when the phone rang. |
|
venir de + infinitive |
|
Je venais de manger, alors je n'avais plus faim. |
I had just eaten, so I wasn't hungry anymore. |
42. Places / Les Endroits
|
school |
l'école |
lay-kohl |
university |
l'université |
loon-ee-vair-see-tay |
|
bathroom |
la toilette |
twah-lett |
bank |
la banque |
bahnk |
|
locker |
le coffre |
koh-fruh |
train station |
la gare |
gahr |
|
drinking fountain |
la fontaine |
fohn-ten |
airport |
l'aéroport |
air-o-poor |
|
store |
le magasin |
mahg-ah-zahn |
telephone |
le téléphone |
tay-lay-fone |
|
library |
la biblio(thèque) |
beeb-lee-oh-(teck) |
apartment |
l'appartement |
ah-par-tuh-mawn |
|
office |
le bureau |
bur-oh |
hotel |
l'hôtel |
low-tell |
|
stadium |
le stade |
stahd |
village |
le village |
vee-lazh |
|
cafe |
le café |
kah-fay |
factory |
l'usine |
lew-zeen |
|
cafeteria |
la cafétéria |
kah-fay-tay-ree-ah |
garden |
le jardin |
zhar-dan |
|
movie theater |
le cinéma |
see-nay-mah |
castle |
le château |
shah-toe |
|
church |
l'église |
lay-glees |
cathedral |
la cathédrale |
kah-tay-drahl |
|
museum |
le musée |
mew-zay |
zoo |
le zoo |
zoh-oh |
|
pool |
la piscine |
pee-seen |
bakery |
la boulangerie |
boo-lanzh-ree |
|
countryside |
la campagne |
kawn-pawn-yuh |
monument |
le monument |
mon-u-mawn |
|
beach |
la plage |
plahzh |
pharmacy |
la pharmacie |
far-mah-see |
|
theater |
le théâtre |
tay-ah-truh |
butcher shop |
la boucherie |
boosh-ree |
|
park |
le parc |
park |
candy store |
la confiserie |
con-feess-ree |
|
restaurant |
le restaurant |
res-toh-rawn |
police station |
la gendarmerie |
zhan-darm-ree |
|
hospital |
l'hôpital |
loh-pee-tahl |
town hall |
la mairie |
mair-ee |
|
post office |
la poste |
post |
square |
la place |
plahs |
|
home |
la maison |
may-zohn |
bookstore |
la librairie |
lee-brair-ee |
|
city |
la ville |
veel |
grocery store |
l'épicerie |
lay-peess-ree |
|
supermarket |
le supermarché |
su-per-mar-shay |
pastry shop |
la pâtisserie |
pah-teess-ree |
|
delicatessen |
la charcuterie |
shar-koot-ree |
fish market |
la poissonnerie |
pwah-son-eh-ree |
43. Transportation
|
by bike |
en vélo (m) |
awn vay-low |
|
by bus |
en bus (m) |
awn boos |
|
by moped |
en mobylette (f) |
awn moh-bee-lett |
|
by car |
en voiture (f) |
awn vwah-chur |
|
by motorcycle |
en moto (f) |
awn moh-toh |
|
by subway |
en métro (m) |
awn may-troh |
|
on foot |
à pied (m) |
ah pee-ay |
|
by plane |
en avion (m) |
awn ah-vee-ohn |
|
by train |
en train (m) |
awn trahn |
|
by boat |
en bateau (m) |
awn bah-toh |
44. To Want and To Be Able To
|
vouloir-to want (vool-wahr) |
pouvoir-to be able to, can (poov-wahr) |
|
veux |
vuh |
voulons |
voo-lohn |
peux |
puh |
pouvons |
poo-vohn |
|
veux |
vuh |
voulez |
voo-lay |
peux |
puh |
pouvez |
poo-vay |
|
veut |
vuh |
veulent |
vull |
peut |
puh |
peuvent |
puhv |
Note: Voulez-vous? can mean Do you want? or Will you?
45. The House / La maison
|
House |
la maison |
meh-zohn |
|
Appartment |
l'appartement (m) |
ah-part-mawn |
|
Bedroom |
la chambre |
shawm-bruh |
|
Hallway |
le couloir |
kool-wahr |
|
Kitchen |
la cuisine |
kwee-zeen |
|
Storeroom |
le débarras |
day-bar-ah |
|
Stairs |
l'escalier (m) |
les-cahl-ee-ay |
|
Floor |
l'étage (m) |
lay-tahzh |
|
Living Room |
le living/le salon |
lee-veeng/sah-lohn |
|
Closet |
la penderie |
pawnd-ree |
|
Room |
la pièce |
pee-ehss |
|
Ground Floor |
le rez-de-chaussée |
rayd-show-say |
|
Dining Room |
la salle à manger |
sahl ah mawn-zhay |
|
Bathroom |
la salle de bains |
sahl duh bahn |
|
Terrace, patio |
la terrasse |
teh-rahss |
|
Attic |
le grenier/la mansarde |
grun-eeay/mahn-sard |
|
Chimney |
la cheminée |
shu-mee-nay |
|
Roof |
le toit |
twah |
|
Garage |
le garage |
gah-rahzh |
|
Driveway |
la route |
root |
|
Sidewalk |
le trottier |
troh-teeay |
|
Porch |
le porche |
porsh |
|
Basement |
le sous-sol |
soo-sole |
|
Cellar |
la cave |
kahv |
|
Lawn/grass |
le gazon |
gah-zohn |
|
Bush/shrub |
le buisson |
bwee-sohn |
|
Tree |
l'arbre (m) |
lar-bruh |
46. Furniture / Les meubles
|
Shelf |
l'étagère (f) |
lay-tah-zhehr |
|
Desk |
le bureau |
bewr-oh |
|
Chair |
la chaise |
shehzh |
|
Dresser |
la commode |
koh-mode |
|
Curtain |
le rideau |
ree-doh |
|
Window |
la fenêtre |
fuh-neh-truh |
|
Bed |
le lit |
lee |
|
Door |
la porte |
port |
|
Closet |
le placard |
plah-car |
|
Rug |
le tapis |
tah-pee |
|
Lamp |
la lampe |
lahmp |
|
Nightstand |
la table de nuit |
tah-bluh duh nwee |
|
Stereo |
la chaîne-stéréo |
shen-stay-ray-oh |
|
Television |
la télé(vision) |
tay-lay-vee-zee-ohn |
|
VCR |
le magnétoscope |
mahn-yeht-oh-scope |
|
Remote Control |
la télécommande |
tay-lay-koh-mahnd |
|
Computer |
l'ordinateur (m) |
lor-dee-nah-tur |
|
Radio |
la radio |
rah-dee-oh |
|
Fridge |
le frigo |
free-go |
|
Refrigerator |
le réfrigérateur |
ray-free-zhay-rah-tir |
|
Freezer |
le congélateur |
kon-zhay-lah-tur |
|
(Coffee) Table |
la table (basse) |
tah-bluh (bahss) |
|
Sink |
l'évier (m) |
lay-veeay |
|
Bathtub |
la baignoire |
bahn-wahr |
|
Stove |
la cuisinière |
kwee-zeen-yehr |
|
Oven |
le four |
foor |
|
Dishwasher |
le lave-vaisselle |
lahv-veh-sell |
|
Microwave |
le four à micro-ondes |
foor ah mee-kroh-ohnd |
|
Washing Machine |
la machine à laver |
mah-sheen ah lah-vay |
|
Clothes Dryer |
le sèche-linge |
sesh-lahnzh |
|
Shower |
la douche |
doosh |
|
Pillow |
l'oreiller |
loh-ray-ay |
|
Mirror |
le miroir |
mee-rwahr |
|
Ceiling |
le plafond |
plah-fohn |
|
Floor |
le plancher |
plawn-shay |
|
Armchair |
le fouteuil |
foo-tuhee |
|
Clock |
la pendule |
pawn-dewl |
|
Bedspread |
le couvrelit |
koo-vruh-lee |
|
Vase |
le vase |
vahz |
|
Waste basket |
la corbeille/la poubelle |
kor-bayee/poo-bell |
|
Bathroom sink |
le lavabo |
lah-vah-boh |
|
Hair Dryer |
le séchoir |
seh-shwahr |
|
Couch/Sofa |
la canapé/le sofa |
kah-nah-pay/soh-fah |
|
Iron |
le fer à repasser |
fair ah ruh-pahs-say |
|
Vacuum |
l'aspirateur |
ah-speer-ah-tur |
The information contained on this site cannot be reproduced without strict permission and an active link must always be added to www.foreign-languages-school.com
| 
