Un 10.3
Imparfait vs Passé Composé
As both the imparfait and the passé composé refer to actions in the past, it is important to differentiate their uses.
L’imparfait vs le passé composé
The imparfait and the passé composé cannot be used interchangeably because they describe past actions differently. When talking about actions in process, or repeated actions, particularly with no focus on when or if the action finishes, the imparfait is most appropriate. The imparfait is also typically used to describe ‘stative’ concepts, such as feelings, emotions, senses, possession, thoughts, etc. On the other hand, the passé composé is appropriate for situations where there is much more focused on whether the action is completed/performed.
e.g.
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Chaque jour, la reine se promenait avec ses chiens, mais ce jour-là, le roi s’est promené avec eux. |
Every day, the queen would walk with her dogs, but, that day, the king walked with them. |
Teamwork – Du travail d’équipe
Because they are used to describe past actions differently, the imparfait and the passé composé often work together to create a fluid and logical narrative.
e.g.
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Un matin, il faisait beau et les jeunes princesses jouaient au soleil. Tout allait bien. Tout d’un coup, le petit prince est arrivé et il a expliqué qu’il avait besoin d’aide. |
One morning, the weather was great and the young princesses were playing in the sun. Everything was fine. All of a sudden, the little prince came and explained that he needed help. |
Quite often, an action in the passé composé is used to interrupt another action in the imparfait.
e.g.
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Je dormais tranquillement lorsque tu es entré avec un grand fracas. |
I was sleeping peacefully when you entered with a loud crash. |
Le passé récent dans le passé et le futur proche dans le passé
The verbs ‘venir’ and ‘aller’ can be used, similar to their use in the passé récent and futur proche, in the imparfait to indicate an action that occurred in the past just before, or was intended just before, another action or event. These are often referred to as the passé récent dans le passé and the futur proche dans le passé.
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Le roi venait de sortir du château quand il a commencé à pleuvoir. |
The king had just exited the castle when it started to rain. |
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Nous allions demander à ta femme, mais tu nous as raconté l’histoire. |
We were going to ask your wife, but you told us the story. |
