In this French grammar lesson we will learn about how to form the imparfait.
In this lesson you will learn about:
- how to form the imparfait in French
- how the imparfait is used in sentences in French
- how you can quiz yourself on how to form the imparfait
- how to practice with flashcards on how to form the imparfait
- how and why you should use the courses of Language Atlas to learn French
Please refer to the French A2 Curriculum to get a better overview of French grammar if you are curious about how to form the imparfait fits in French A2 grammar.
By the end of the lesson you will know all about how to form the imparfait.
Table of Contents
How to Form the Imparfait
| new ending | |
| je | –ais |
| tu | –ais |
| il/elle/on | –ait |
| nous | –ions |
| vous | –iez |
| ils/elles | –aient |
The 3 Step Method To Forming the Imparfait
In order to form the imparfait one must:
- Take the nous form of a verb in the Present Tense
- Drop the -ons ending
- Add the new ending
The verb parler means to “speak”.
We will take this verb and conjugate it in the “je” form using the three step method.
- parlons
The nous form of the verb parler is parlons.
- parl
Once you cut of the ons ending all that is left is parl.
- parlais
When we add the new ending ais the final conjugated form will be parlais.
So when you wish to say “I was talking” in French you get:
Je parlais
So, to form the imparfait, all you have to do is take the nous form a verb, drop the ending, and replace it with the new ending.
parler-> je parlais
choisir -> je choisissais
vendre -> je vendais
Example Sentences with the Imparfait
The final section of this lesson on how to form the imparfait is about seeing the imparfait in action.
This is valuable because you can improve your understanding on how to form the imparfait through examples.
parler
Je parlais à quelqu’un au téléphone.
I was talking to someone on the phone.
vendre
Tu vendais des maisons.
You were selling houses.
choisir
Il choisissait tous les mots avec attention.
He chose every word with care.
danser
Nous dansions toute la nuit.
We were dancing the whole night.
manger
Vous mangiez.
You were eating.
travailler
Les garçons travaillaient dur.
The boys were working hard.
Quiz Yourself on How to Form the Imparfait
At the end of every lesson you can do a small quiz.
You will see the sentences of the previous chapter.
You will either need to fill in the blanks, choose the correct multiple choice option, or both.
It is up to you to give the correct answer.
Once you are done the correct answer will be shown.
You can redo the quiz as many times as you want!
How to Practice With Flashcards for This Lesson
Using flashcards is an absolute necessity when it comes to learning a language!
It is the best way to memorize what you learn, you can personalize your progression because it adapts to your actions, and all flashcards have audio to improve your hearing and pronunciation.
Please read our article on how to learn a new language for more information on flashcards and the best way to learn a new language.
There are two ways to practice with Flashcards for this lesson.
- Anki
- The Flashcards in our Courses
Anki is a free software with which you can create and practice flashcards.
After you have downloaded Anki, you can get our French A2 Anki Deck.
This Anki Deck contains 3,816 flashcards with which you can practice absolutely everything for French A2.
All the flashcards have text, images, explanations, and audio.
You can also use our courses that have flashcards integrated alongside lessons with audio, quizzes and much more!
However, I am sure you are wondering, what are your courses, and why should I take them?
The Courses of Language Atlas
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So I thought, “why not make something myself?“.
Using my experience and by doing research I created Language Atlas, a platform where people can learn French and Spanish in the most effective and efficient way.
I created free lessons and quizzes so that there would always be a easy and accessible way for people to learn or brush up on their language skills.
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The courses of Language Atlas have:
- 800+ Lessons with audio
- 800+ Quizzes
- 10,000 Flashcards with explanations, images, and audio
- A gamified way of learning a new language
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You can register for free and try the French A0/A1 and Spanish A0/A1 Courses for free!
This includes over 60 lessons and quizzes, 500 flashcards that adapt to how you learn, and access to the community (including support from me).
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