The Past
The passé composé (see passé composé conjugations) is used to report activities as they are completed.
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Elle a donné un coup de pied dans le ballon. Le
camion a heurté l'arbre. Il a mangé une groseille. She kicked the ball. The truck hit the tree. He ate a redcurrant. |
Some activities occur in the background and are continuous. These activities are expressed using the imperfect (see imperfect conjugations).
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La mer était
2 agitée et les vagues martelaient
2 le rivage mais Pierre a plongé1 dans l'eau froide et a nagé1 jusqu'au bateau.
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The imperfect is used in expressing enduring qualities or characteristics. (This makes sense of course because enduring qualities are ongoing.)
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Le bateau était en bois blanc. C'était
un bateau de pêche.
The boat was white and wooden. It was a fishing boat. |
The imperfect is also used to paint the background, to describe ongoing actions that take place continuously as actions are completed.
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Les tomates mijotaient dans l'huile d'olive.
Magalie sentait la chaleur du feu. Rapidement, elle y a jeté
le basilic et l'origan. The tomatoes were simmering in the olive oil. Magalie was feeling the heat of the fire. Quickly, she threw in the basil and the oregano. |
The passé simple (see passé simple conjugations) is used instead of the passé composé in formal writing.
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Le Français fit ce que qu'en toute occasion
font les français, il se mit à rire.
The Frenchman did what on all occasions the French do, he began to laugh. |