Passé Composé vs Imparfait
A Complete Guide with Interactive Worksheet Generator
Understanding French Past Tenses
French has two main past tenses: passé composé and imparfait. Knowing when to use each is crucial for clear communication about past events.
Key Differences
| Aspect | Passé Composé | Imparfait |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | Completed actions, specific events | Descriptions, habits, ongoing past states |
| Duration | Short, defined actions | Continuous, undefined duration |
| Formation | Auxiliary (être/avoir) + past participle | Stem from nous form + endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient) |
| English Equivalents | I ate, I did eat, I have eaten | I was eating, I used to eat, I would eat |
When to Use Each Tense
Use Passé Composé For:
- Completed actions: "Hier, j'ai mangé une pizza." (Yesterday, I ate a pizza.)
- Specific events: "Elle est arrivée à 8 heures." (She arrived at 8 o'clock.)
- Sequenced actions: "Je me suis levé, j'ai pris ma douche, et je suis parti." (I got up, I showered, and I left.)
- Sudden changes: "Soudain, il a commencé à pleuvoir." (Suddenly, it started to rain.)
Use Imparfait For:
- Descriptions: "Il faisait beau et les oiseaux chantaient." (The weather was nice and the birds were singing.)
- Habits: "Quand j'étais enfant, je jouais au football tous les jours." (When I was a child, I played football every day.)
- Ongoing actions: "Elle regardait la télé quand je suis entré." (She was watching TV when I entered.)
- States of being: "Nous voulions voyager en France." (We wanted to travel to France.)
Signal Words
These words often indicate which tense to use:
Passé Composé indicators: Un jour (one day), soudain (suddenly), enfin (finally), tout à coup (all of a sudden), finalement (finally), ensuite (then), après (after).
Imparfait indicators: Chaque jour (every day), souvent (often), toujours (always), parfois (sometimes), généralement (generally), habituellement (usually), autrefois (in the past).
Quick Tip
Ask yourself: Was the action completed at a specific moment? → Use passé composé. Was it a description, habit, or ongoing action? → Use imparfait.
Remember: Imparfait sets the scene, passé composé moves the action forward.
Worksheet Generator
Create customized practice worksheets with exercises based on your selected difficulty level.
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How to Use the Worksheet
1. Complete all exercises on paper or digitally. 2. Check your answers with a teacher or language partner. 3. Focus on understanding why each tense is used in context. 4. Review the guide section for clarification on difficult examples.