Past Tenses: Passé Composé and Imperfect
Past Tenses in French
Two past tenses dominate GCSE French: the passé composé (perfect tense) for completed actions, and the imparfait (imperfect) for descriptions, habits, and ongoing past actions. Using both together is a key marker of a Grade 7+ response.
The Passé Composé
Formed with a present tense auxiliary (avoir or être) + past participle.
Past Participles
| Infinitive ending | Past participle | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -er → -é | jouer → joué | |
| -ir → -i | finir → fini | |
| -re → -u | vendre → vendu |
With avoir (most verbs)
- J'ai mangé une pizza. — I ate a pizza.
- Nous avons regardé un film. — We watched a film.
- Elle a fini ses devoirs. — She finished her homework.
With être (movement/reflexive verbs — MRS VAN DER TRAMP)
Monter, Rester, Sortir, Venir, Aller, Naître, Descendre, Entrer, Rentrer, Tomber, Retourner, Arriver, Mourir, Partir
With être, the past participle agrees with the subject:
- Elle est allée au cinéma. — She went to the cinema. (extra -e)
- Ils sont partis à midi. — They left at midday. (extra -s)
- Elles sont arrivées en retard. — They (f) arrived late. (extra -es)
Irregular Past Participles (must learn)
| Verb | Past participle |
|---|---|
| avoir → eu | être → été |
| faire → fait | prendre → pris |
| lire → lu | écrire → écrit |
| voir → vu | boire → bu |
| mettre → mis | pouvoir → pu |
| vouloir → voulu | devoir → dû |
The Imperfect Tense
Take the nous form of the present tense, remove -ons, add imperfect endings:
| Subject | Ending |
|---|---|
| je | -ais |
| tu | -ais |
| il/elle/on | -ait |
| nous | -ions |
| vous | -iez |
| ils/elles | -aient |
Only être is irregular: the stem is ét- (j'étais, tu étais, etc.)
- Quand j'étais petit, je jouais dans le jardin. — When I was little, I used to play in the garden.
- Il faisait beau et le soleil brillait. — The weather was nice and the sun was shining.
When to Use Which
| Passé composé | Imparfait |
|---|---|
| Completed, one-off actions | Descriptions and settings |
| Events in a sequence | Habits and repeated actions |
| Specific time markers | Ongoing background actions |
Combining both (Grade 7+ skill):
- Je regardais la télé quand mon ami a téléphoné. — I was watching TV when my friend called.
- Il pleuvait mais nous sommes sortis quand même. — It was raining but we went out anyway.
Exam Tips
- In writing, always include at least one sentence combining both tenses.
- In listening, train your ear for the difference: passé composé has two parts (auxiliary + participle); imperfect endings sound like -ay (-ais/-ait/-aient all sound the same).
- Common time markers: hier (yesterday), la semaine dernière (last week), d'habitude (usually), tous les jours (every day — imperfect).