The past imperfect tense
When to use it ?
The past imperfect tense in French is used to describe an ongoing, incomplete action in the past. It is often used to set the scene or provide background information for a story, and it can also be used to describe habitual actions in the past.
Examples :
•Pendant mon enfance, je jouais souvent avec mes cousins. (During my childhood, I used to play often with my cousins.)
•Il pleuvait quand je suis arrivé à l'école. (It was raining when I arrived at school.)
General rule
| Ending | Parler | Chanter | |
| Je | -ais | Parlais | chantais |
| Tu | -ais | Parlais | chantais |
| Il/Elle/On | -ait | Parlait | chantait |
| Nous | -ions | Parlions | chantions |
| Vous | -iez | Parliez | chantiez |
| Ils/Elles | -aient | Parlaient | chantaient |
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