Le passé

Imparfait et Passé ComposéImparfait et Passé Composé

Three formsThree forms

ImparfaitImparfaitPassé ComposéPassé ComposéPassé Simple Passé Simple (written tense only)(written tense only)

In this presentation, we will only see the first two: ImparfaitImparfait & Passé ComposéPassé Composé.

What is the difference?What is the difference?

Use the ImparfaitImparfait when:

You want to express: What you used to used to do. What used to used to be. What you were doinging. What was goinging on. The description of the scenedescription of the scene:

(time, weather…) The description of the people description of the people

involved: (looks, feelings, age…)

Use the passé composé when:

• You want to express: What you diddid. What happenedhappened. ActionAction. An event that began and began and

endedended at a particular point particular point in time in the past.

The action was finiteaction was finite: it began and ended at a point in time in the past.

What does the imparfait the imparfait look like?

• These are the imparfait endingsendings:

• aisais• aisais• aitait• ionsions• ieziez• aientaient

This is the verb This is the verb RegarderRegarder ( (to watch) to watch) in in the imparfait.the imparfait.

• Je regardJe regardais ais (I used to watch)(I used to watch)

• Tu regardTu regardais ais (You were (You were

watching…)watching…)

• Il, elle, on regardIl, elle, on regardaitait

• Nous regardNous regardionsions• Vous regardVous regardieziez• Ils, elles regardIls, elles regardaientaient

The best way to form the imparfaitimparfait.

• Begin with the NOUS form of the present tense.

• Manger in the present tense: Nous mangeons• Je mangeeais• Tu mangeeais• Il, elle, on mangeeait• Nous mangions• Vous mangiez• Ils, elles mangeeaient

Je mangeais au restaurant.

• When French people hear this, they understand:When French people hear this, they understand:

• You You used to eat used to eat at the restaurant.at the restaurant. oror• You were eatYou were eatinging at the restaurant… at the restaurant…

Forming the ImparfaitForming the Imparfait::Two Important exceptionsTwo Important exceptions

• Être : to beÊtre : to be

• J’J’ététaisais• Tu Tu ététaisais• Il, elle, on Il, elle, on ététaitait• Nous Nous ététionsions• Vous Vous ététieziez• Ils, elles Ils, elles ététaientaient

• Ils étaient jeunes. Ils étaient jeunes. (They were young) (They were young) DescriptionDescription..

• Aller: to goAller: to go

• J’allaisJ’allais• Tu allaisTu allais• Il, elle, on allaitIl, elle, on allait• Nous allionsNous allions• Vous alliezVous alliez• Ils, elles allaientIls, elles allaient

• Nous allions au bord de la mer Nous allions au bord de la mer pendant les vacances. pendant les vacances. (We (We used used to go to go to the seashore during our to the seashore during our vacations)vacations)

What does the passé composé passé composé look like?

• The passé composé passé composé will have 2 words, just like it’s name.

• The first The first is the helper verb or auxiliary verb.is the helper verb or auxiliary verb.• The second The second is the past participle.is the past participle.

This is the verb This is the verb regarderregarder in the passé composé!in the passé composé!

• J’ai regardé J’ai regardé (I watched)(I watched)

• Tu as regardéTu as regardé• Il, elle, on a regardéIl, elle, on a regardé

• Nous avons regardéNous avons regardé• Vous avez regardéVous avez regardé• Ils, elles ont regardéIls, elles ont regardé

J’ai regardé un bon film.

• When French people read this:When French people read this:

• They understand you saw a good movie.They understand you saw a good movie.• They also understand this was a finite event They also understand this was a finite event

at a particular point in time in the past.at a particular point in time in the past.

J’aiJ’ai regardéregardé

• J’ai J’ai is the helper verb.• RegardéRegardé is the past participle.

• The passé composé is composed of 2 words!The passé composé is composed of 2 words!

Only two helper verbsOnly two helper verbs

AvoirAvoir

• J’aiJ’ai• Tu asTu as

• Il, elle, on aIl, elle, on a• Nous avonsNous avons• Vous avezVous avez• Ils, elles ontIls, elles ont

ÊtreÊtre

• Je suisJe suis• Tu esTu es• Il, elle, on estIl, elle, on est• Nous sommesNous sommes• Vous êtesVous êtes• Ils, elles sontIls, elles sont

When do you use the helper verb When do you use the helper verb AVOIRAVOIR??

• With the passé composé

•MOST OF THE TIME.MOST OF THE TIME.

When do you use the helper verb When do you use the helper verb êêtre?tre?

In the passé composéWhen the verb is on When the verb is on the listthe list..When the verb is When the verb is reflexivereflexive..

What list?What list?

• DR and MRS P VANDERTRAMP, is an acronym-mnemonic. Each capital letter stands for a verb which pairs with the verb être (to be) when conjugating into the passé composé tense.

• Descendre (past participle) (past participle) descendudescendu))Rester (past participle (past participle restéresté))

• Monter (past participle (past participle montémonté))Revenir (past participle (past participle revenurevenu))Sortir (past participle (past participle sortisorti) )

• Passer (past participle Passer (past participle passépassé) ) • Venir (past participle Venir (past participle venuvenu))

Arriver (past participle Arriver (past participle arrivéarrivé))Naître (past participle Naître (past participle néné))Devenir (past participle Devenir (past participle devenudevenu))Entrer (past participle Entrer (past participle entréentré))Retourner (past participle Retourner (past participle retournéretourné))Tomber (past participle Tomber (past participle tombétombé))Rentrer (past participle Rentrer (past participle rentrérentré))Aller (past participle Aller (past participle alléallé))Mourir (past participle Mourir (past participle mortmort))Partir (past participle Partir (past participle partiparti))

What is a reflexive verbreflexive verb?

• A reflexive verb infinitive is identified by its reflexive pronoun sese, which is placed before the infinitive. ((sese regarder) regarder)

• A reflexive verb shows that the subject is performing the action upon itself upon itself and, therefore, the subject and the reflexive pronoun refer to the same person or thing.the same person or thing.

• Je me regarde = I’m looking at myself.Je me regarde = I’m looking at myself.

Compare the reflexive verb reflexive verb in the presentpresent & in the passé composépassé composé.

In the In the presentpresent

• The verb: The verb: sese regarder regarder

• Je Je meme regarde regarde ((I look I look at myself)at myself)

• Tu Tu tete regardes regardes• Il, elle, on Il, elle, on sese regarde regarde• Nous Nous nousnous regardons regardons• Vous Vous vousvous regarge regarge• Ils, elles Ils, elles sese regardent regardent

In the passé composéIn the passé composéVerb ÊTRE + past participle.Verb ÊTRE + past participle.

• The verb: The verb: sese regarder regarder

• Je Je meme suis regardé suis regardé ((I lookedI looked at myself)at myself)

• Tu Tu t’t’es regardées regardé• Il, elle, on Il, elle, on s’s’est regardéest regardé• Nous Nous nous nous sommes regardéssommes regardés• Vous Vous vousvous étes regardés étes regardés• Ils Ils se se sont regardéssont regardés

Okay so…

• The passé composé is composed of 2 words:The passé composé is composed of 2 words:• The helper (auxiliary) verbThe helper (auxiliary) verb & & the past participlethe past participle..• There are There are two helper verbstwo helper verbs: : AvoirAvoir and and ÊtreÊtre.• Use Use avoiravoir most of the timemost of the time..• Use être when the verb is: on the list (aller for example) Je suis allé au parc. I went to the park.Je suis allé au parc. I went to the park.

or reflexive (se regarder for example) (se regarder for example) Je me suis regardé dans le lac. I looked at myself in the lake.Je me suis regardé dans le lac. I looked at myself in the lake.

• But what about the past participle? But what about the past participle?

Past participles

• Past participles are generally related to verb infinitives. Past participles are generally related to verb infinitives.

• Infinitives ending in erer, for example, generally drop this

ending and substitute é : é : J’aiJ’ai chanté chanté (I sang) (I sang) Je suis tombé Je suis tombé (I fell)(I fell)

• Infinitives ending in irir generally drop this ending and

substitute i : i : J’ai fini J’ai fini (I finished) (I finished) Je suis sorti Je suis sorti ( I went out)( I went out)

• Infinitives ending in rere generally drop this ending and

substitute u : u : J’ai rendu J’ai rendu (I returned) (I returned) Je suis descendu Je suis descendu (I went down) (I went down)

A number of A number of common verbs common verbs have have irregular past participlesirregular past participles: :

• avoir to have : eu • boire to drink : bu • connaître to know : connu • courir to run : couru • devoir must : dû (due) • être to be : été • faire to do, make : fait • falloir must, have to : fallu • lire to read : lu

• mettre to put : mis • ouvrir to open : ouvert • pouvoir can, may : pu • prendre to take : pris • recevoir to receive : reçu • rire to laugh : ri • savoir to know : su • vivre to live : vécu • vouloir to want : voulu

A)A) Il a chanté une belle chanson.Il a chanté une belle chanson.B)B) Elle chantait très bien.Elle chantait très bien.

In In AA):): When I see the passé composé, I understand:When I see the passé composé, I understand:

He sang a nice song at a particular moment in the past.He sang a nice song at a particular moment in the past.

In In B)B): : When I see the imparfait, I understand:When I see the imparfait, I understand:She used to sing very well She used to sing very well oror she was singing very well. she was singing very well.

Un jour…

• Un jour je suis allé au parc et j’ai vu un joli petit lapin. Un jour je suis allé au parc et j’ai vu un joli petit lapin. J’ai attrapé le petit lapin et je l’ai apporté chez moi. Je J’ai attrapé le petit lapin et je l’ai apporté chez moi. Je l’ai donné à ma maman.l’ai donné à ma maman.

• Only the passé composé is used here because I’m all Only the passé composé is used here because I’m all action. Also, the action is finite action. Also, the action is finite (It began and ended at that point in (It began and ended at that point in

time)time)..• One day, I went to the parc and I saw a cute little rabbit. I caught One day, I went to the parc and I saw a cute little rabbit. I caught

the little rabbit and I brought it home. I gave it to my mom.the little rabbit and I brought it home. I gave it to my mom.

• If I had described the rabbit or my mother’s reaction, I would have use the imparfait: If I had described the rabbit or my mother’s reaction, I would have use the imparfait: Il était blanc et elle était furieuse. (It was white and she was furious)Il était blanc et elle était furieuse. (It was white and she was furious)

Note: Note: None of the verbs are used to describe the rabbit None of the verbs are used to describe the rabbit although I do know it was little and cute.although I do know it was little and cute.

• Il faisait beau et la ville était très Il faisait beau et la ville était très calme. Les oiseaux chantaient et calme. Les oiseaux chantaient et Pierre était heureux.Pierre était heureux.

• Only the imparfait is used because I am Only the imparfait is used because I am entirely descriptive.entirely descriptive.

• The weather was nice and the town was very clam. The birds were The weather was nice and the town was very clam. The birds were singing, and Peter was happy.singing, and Peter was happy.

Tout à coup… Tout à coup… (all of a sudden…)(all of a sudden…)

• Tout à coup, Pierre est tombé et il s’est cassé Tout à coup, Pierre est tombé et il s’est cassé la jambe. Il est allé à l’hôpital. Il n’était plus la jambe. Il est allé à l’hôpital. Il n’était plus très content.très content.• Pierre est tombéPierre est tombé: Pierre fell at a : Pierre fell at a certain moment certain moment in in

the past. (the past. (actionaction))• Il s’est cassé la jambeIl s’est cassé la jambe: He broke his leg at that : He broke his leg at that

certain moment certain moment in time. (in time. (actionaction))• Il est allé à l’hôpitalIl est allé à l’hôpital: He went to the hospital. : He went to the hospital.

((actionaction))• Il n’était plus très contentIl n’était plus très content: He wasn’t very : He wasn’t very

happy anymore. (happy anymore. (Describing Describing his feelings) his feelings) ImparfaitImparfait

Imparfait or passé composé?

• It was 4:30 in the afternoon. The weather It was 4:30 in the afternoon. The weather was nice. A man was walking towards me. He was nice. A man was walking towards me. He was big and scary looking. I was afraid.was big and scary looking. I was afraid.

• DescribingDescribing the scene, the man and the way I the scene, the man and the way I felt.felt.

Imparfait of course!Imparfait of course!

• Il était quatre heures et demie Il était quatre heures et demie de l’après-midi. Il faisait beau. de l’après-midi. Il faisait beau. Un homme marchait vers moi. Il Un homme marchait vers moi. Il était grand et épeurant. J’avais était grand et épeurant. J’avais peur.peur.

Imparfait or passé composé?Imparfait or passé composé?

• Romeo went below Juliet’s window to sing Romeo went below Juliet’s window to sing her a love song. Her father saw him and he her a love song. Her father saw him and he emptied a bucket of water on his head. emptied a bucket of water on his head. Romeo went home.Romeo went home.

• All All action action here. At a finite point in time, here. At a finite point in time, Romeo went… her father saw and emptied… Romeo went… her father saw and emptied… and Romeo went home. and Romeo went home. (the action started and ended (the action started and ended at that particular time in the past : finite)at that particular time in the past : finite)

Passé composé of course!Passé composé of course!

• Roméo est allé sous la fenRoméo est allé sous la fenêêtre tre de Juliette pour lui chanter de Juliette pour lui chanter une chanson d’amour. Son une chanson d’amour. Son père l’a vu et il lui a vidé un père l’a vu et il lui a vidé un seau d’eau sur la tseau d’eau sur la têête. Roméo te. Roméo est rentré chez lui.est rentré chez lui.