Posted by kw on Monday, March 28, 2011 at 3:33pm.
The passé composé is used in French in answer the question 'What happened?' On the other hand, you will usually put a verb in the imparfait if it answers the question 'What was going on when something else happened?' Generally, the passé composé is used to relate events while the imparfait is used to describe what was going on in the past, states of being in the past, or past habits.
Both tenses often occur in the same story.
EX
imparfait (set scene) passé composé (event)
Avant, Marie habitait à Paris ... et puis un jour, elle a déménagé.
Before, Mary lived in Paris ... and then, one day, she moved.
ohhh..i get it a little better.. thank you very much :) thats what i was having trouble with, the set scene and the event...thank you again
have a good night:)
I am having a lot of trouble with my homework tonight...this is what it is:
complete the following with passe compose or l'imparfait;
I___(etre) midi dans le petit village de Moneteau. Il___(faire) tres beau et le soleil__(briller) dans le ciel bleu. Il n'y___(avoir) pas beaucoup de monde dans les rues du village. Les rues___(etre) presque desertes.
Gregoire___(etre) dans son jardin. Il ne___(travailler) pas. Il___(se reposer). Il ___(lire) un magazine. SOudain, il___(entendre) quelque chose. Il___(lever) la tete et il___(voir) son amie Severine dans la rue. Il lui___(dire) d'entrer. Ils___(discuter) tout l'apres-midi au soleil!
if u know any answers pleeeaaassseeee help me! i'm totally lost! thank you :)
I am having a lot of trouble with my homework tonight...this is what it is:
complete the following with passe compose or l'imparfait;
I___(etre) midi dans le petit village de Moneteau. Il___(faire) tres beau et le soleil__(briller) dans le ciel bleu. Il n'y___(avoir) pas beaucoup de monde dans les rues du village. Les rues___(etre) presque desertes.
Gregoire___(etre) dans son jardin. Il ne___(travailler) pas. Il___(se reposer). Il ___(lire) un magazine. SOudain, il___(entendre) quelque chose. Il___(lever) la tete et il___(voir) son amie Severine dans la rue. Il lui___(dire) d'entrer. Ils___(discuter) tout l'apres-midi au soleil!
if u know any answers pleeeaaassseeee help me! i'm totally lost! thank you :)
Read again what I wrote , The first part o of the text is a description of what is going on, thus the imparfait is required, then an event occurred and the passé composé is required. A word should tell you that an event occurred, try to find it.
The following adverbs are commonly associated with each of the past tenses:
adverbs/imparfait
tous les jours, tous les matins ...
every day, every morning
chaque jour, chaque matin, chaque mois ...
each day, each morning, each month
en général, généralement, d'habitude . . .
in general, usually
autrefois, à l'époque ...
in the past, long ago, at the time
toujours, souvent ...
always, often
rarement ...
rarely
adverbs/passé composé
un jour, un matin, un soir ...
one day, one morning, one evening
soudain, brusquement, brutalement ...
suddenly, abruptly, brusquely
tout d'un coup, tout à coup ...
all of a sudden, suddenly
tout de suite, immédiatement ...
right away, immediately
d'abord, enfin ...
first of all, finally
puis, ensuite ...
then, next
I'll give you the first sentence.
Il était midi dans le petit village de Moneteau. (It was noon in the small village of Moneteau)
Now it's up to you!
ok..the answers i got were;
1. etait, 2. faisait, 3. brillais, 4. avait, 5. etait, 6. etait, 7. travaille, 8. se repose, 9. lisait, 10. a entendu, 11. a leve, 12. a vu, 13. a dit, 14. ont discute.
-did i do my homework right?
1. etait, 2. faisait, 3. BRILLAIT 4. avait, 5. ÉTAIENT (les rues – plural) 6. était, , 9. lisait, 10. a entendu, 11. a levé, 12. a vu, 13. a dit, 14. ont discuté.
7&8 travaille &se repose are in the present tense . You must put them in the imparfait
Don't forget the accents.
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