The imperfect tense: describing the past

The perfect tense says what happened. The imperfect describes what things were like, and what used to happen.

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Making the imperfect

Take the nous form of the present tense, remove -ons and add -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.
nous jouons: je jouais. nous finissons: je finissais. nous faisons: je faisais. nous avons: j'avais.
The only irregular stem is être: j'étais.
Pronounjouer (to play)
jejouais
tujouais
il / elle / onjouait
nousjouions
vousjouiez
ils / ellesjouaient

When to use it

Description: C'était génial. (It was great.) Il faisait beau. (The weather was nice.) Il y avait beaucoup de monde. (There were lots of people.)
What used to happen: Quand j'étais petit(e), je jouais au parc. (When I was little, I used to play in the park.)
Was doing, interrupted: Je regardais la télé quand le téléphone a sonné. (I was watching TV when the phone rang.) The interruption uses the perfect tense.

Key phrases

c'était = it was, il y avait = there was / there were, il faisait chaud / froid = it was hot / cold
j'étais = I was, j'avais = I had, j'habitais = I lived
These make your past descriptions much richer at GCSE.
Worked example

Translate: When I was little, I lived in London.

  1. When I was little: quand j'étais petit (petite for a girl).
  2. I lived (description over time): imperfect, j'habitais.
  3. in London: à Londres.

Answer: Quand j'étais petit, j'habitais à Londres.

Key idea

Imperfect = nous stem + -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient; être uses ét-. Use it for description (c'était, il faisait, il y avait), for what used to happen, and for was doing.

Common mistakes
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Extra practice

2 more questions

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  1. Complete: Quand nous étions petits, nous ___ au parc. (jouer)

    1. jouais
    2. jouions
    3. jouaient
    4. jouiez
    Show the answer

    Answer: jouions

    Nous + -ions: jouions.

  2. Write the je form of jouer in the imperfect.

    Show the answer

    Answer: je jouais

    Imperfect: nous stem jou- + -ais.

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Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.

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