When to use passe compose versus imparfait in French, with contrasting example sentences. Front: the French word or phrase. Back: English meaning.
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- Passé composé expresses
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A completed action that happened at a specific moment in time, or a series of completed actions- Imparfait expresses
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Repeated or habitual actions in the past, or a continuous state or background action- How to form passé composé
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Auxiliary verb (avoir or être) in present tense plus past participle- How to form imparfait
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Take nous form of present tense, remove -ons, add: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient- Past participle: parler
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parlé- Past participle: finir
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fini- Past participle: vendre
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vendu- Past participle: aller
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allé- Auxiliary for passé composé with aller
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être (je suis allé)- Auxiliary for passé composé with parler
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avoir (j'ai parlé)- Passé composé time reference
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Specific, defined moments (yesterday, at 3 o'clock, last Tuesday)- Imparfait time reference
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Indefinite or repeated times (every day, usually, often, or no specific time mentioned)- Je parlais au téléphone quand tu as appelé
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I was talking on the phone (ongoing - imparfait) when you called (completed - passé composé)- Il fumait une cigarette
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He was smoking a cigarette or used to smoke (state or habit - imparfait)- Il a fumé une cigarette
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He smoked a cigarette (one completed action - passé composé)
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