Can anyone explain la concordance des temps when your first verbs are passe compose, imparfait and plus-que-parfait?
I also asked a while back about Les Expressions Temporelles. Thanks for the help, I understood them. But how would I know which one to use?
Thank you for using the Jiskha Homework Help Forum again. As for the earlier post you asked, present if the English is (for example) I hear, do hear, am hearing/ the imperfect if the English is: I was hearing, I used to hear, I heard (this terciary meaning crosses over with the passé composé so only the speaker knows what is in mind) / the passé composé if the English is I did hear, I heard. Of course, there is also the Future = I will/shall (dying out in English) hear, and the contraction I'll... / The Conditional = I would hear / etc.
It would be best if you gave examples of what you mean. Are you speaking about the concordance of the verb with the subject? I'm sure you understand that. Are you speaking of the agreement of the past participle in the passé composé? Please be more explicit, if possible.
Mme
Je reste à l'asile pendant 13 ans parce que mes souliers parent.
Je suis resté à l'asile pendant 13 ans parce que mes souliers avant parlé.
That's an example of what I mean. When you conjugate something in either passe compose, imparfait or plus-que-parfait, you need to change the following verb with 3 other conjugations. I'm not sure which to use.
Thank you for explaining further. These are the only instructions you saw --- just this example? Taking it as face value:
1. Je reste = present tense
2. Je suis resté = passé composé for a male BUT je suis restée = passé composé for a female
3. Je restais = l'imparfait
4. je resterai = futur
5. je resterais = conditionnel
6. J'étais resté = plus-que-parfait
OR if you have to change the subject
1. Nous restons = present
2. Nous sommes restés = passé composé
3. Nous restions = l'imparfait
4. Nous resterons = futur
5. Nous resterions = conditionnel
6. Nous étions restés = plus-que parfait
Is this what you mean? Your text should either have complete instructions (and I need to see the exact wording) or a complete example. The words "you need to chanbge the following verb" are not clear to me. (following the subject? there is no following verb in the first example and the 2nd "avant parlé" can not be complete. Something is not quite right.
Mme
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Certainly! "La concordance des temps" is a grammatical concept in French that refers to the agreement of verb tenses within a sentence. When the first verb in a sentence is in the passé composé, imparfait, or plus-que-parfait tense, there are specific rules for choosing the verb tense of subsequent verbs in the sentence.
Here's a breakdown of the rules for each case:
1. When the first verb is in the passé composé tense (e.g., "J'ai mangé" - I ate), the subsequent verbs can either be in the present tense or the passé composé. The choice depends on the intended meaning and the logical sequence of events. If the subsequent action is simultaneous or closely related to the first action, you would use the present tense (e.g., "Je suis allé et j'ai mangé" - I went and I ate). If the subsequent action took place after the first action, you would use the passé composé (e.g., "J'ai mangé et je suis sorti" - I ate and then I went out).
2. When the first verb is in the imparfait tense (e.g., "Il lisait" - He was reading), the subsequent verbs can be in either the imparfait or the conditional tense. The choice depends on the intended meaning. If the subsequent action is in the same timeframe or continues the ongoing action, you would use the imparfait tense (e.g., "Il lisait et rêvait" - He was reading and dreaming). If the subsequent action is conditional upon the first action, you would use the conditional tense (e.g., "Il lisait et il achèterait" - He was reading and he would buy).
3. When the first verb is in the plus-que-parfait tense (e.g., "Nous avions fini" - We had finished), the subsequent verbs can be in either the imparfait or the plus-que-parfait tense. Again, the choice depends on the intended meaning. If the subsequent action is in the same timeframe or continues the past action, you would use the imparfait tense (e.g., "Nous avions fini et nous dansions" - We had finished and we were dancing). If the subsequent action happened before the first action, you would use the plus-que-parfait tense (e.g., "Nous avions fini et nous avions dansé" - We had finished and we had danced).
In summary, when the first verbs are in the passé composé, imparfait, or plus-que-parfait tense, the subsequent verbs will follow specific rules regarding tense agreement, depending on the relationship between the actions. These rules ensure grammatical clarity and coherence in French sentences.