Imparfait in French: conjugation, uses, and stories
The French imparfait describes ongoing past actions, habits, background scenes, and description — what was happening or used to happen. Regular verbs share the same -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient endings across all three groups. MeloLingua pairs these rules with free graded French stories so you read the imparfait inside real narration.
French stories that build memory, description, and atmosphere through imparfait forms. These stories keep the learning focus inside real scenes, then add sentence-level English support, glosses, and quick checks.
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Imparfait grammar guide
Updated June 27, 2026
Definition
The imparfait in French is a past tense for habitual actions, ongoing background, and description in the past — as opposed to the passé composé, which reports single completed events.
What you will practice
- Recognize imparfait endings (-ais, -ait, -ions) on regular -er, -ir, and -re verbs
- Contrast imparfait background with passé composé events in the same story
- Spot trigger words like toujours, souvent, pendant que
- Read être as étais/était in descriptions and state contexts; use faire/pleuvoir for most weather (il faisait beau)
When to use the imparfait in French
Use the imparfait when the past action has no clear beginning or end — it paints the scene the passé composé then interrupts.
- Habits: Tous les matins, je prenais un café — Every morning I used to have a coffee.
- Ongoing background: Il pleuvait quand je suis sorti — It was raining when I went out.
- Description: La maison était grande et le jardin était vert — The house was big and the garden was green.
- Triggers: toujours, souvent, pendant que, d'habitude, quand j'étais petit.
French imparfait conjugation (regular verbs)
Take the nous form of the present, drop -ons, add imparfait endings. All three verb groups share the same endings.
| Subject | parler (-er) | finir (-ir) | vendre (-re) |
|---|---|---|---|
| je | parlais | finissais | vendais |
| tu | parlais | finissais | vendais |
| il / elle / on | parlait | finissait | vendait |
| nous | parlions | finissions | vendions |
| vous | parliez | finissiez | vendiez |
| ils / elles | parlaient | finissaient | vendaient |
Only être is highly irregular in the imparfait: j'étais, tu étais, il/elle était, nous étions, vous étiez, ils/elles étaient.
Quick reference: imparfait vs passé composé
The imparfait sets background; the passé composé marks completed events. Both often appear in the same sentence.
| Imparfait (background) | Passé composé (event) |
|---|---|
| Habits: je lisais chaque soir | Single action: j'ai lu hier |
| Ongoing: il faisait froid | Finished: il a neigé toute la nuit |
| Triggers: souvent, pendant que | Triggers: hier, soudain, une fois |
Être in the imparfait (the main irregular verb)
Almost every French verb follows the regular imparfait pattern. Être is the exception you will see constantly in descriptions and state contexts. For age in years, French uses avoir (j'avais dix ans); for weather, use faire or pleuvoir (il faisait beau, il pleuvait).
| Subject | être |
|---|---|
| je | étais |
| tu | étais |
| il / elle / on | était |
| nous | étions |
| vous | étiez |
| ils / elles | étaient |
Quand j'étais petit, nous étions toujours en retard.
When I was little, we were always late.
Childhood description + habitual state → imparfait throughout.
Il faisait beau et les rues étaient calmes.
The weather was fine and the streets were quiet.
Scene-setting description → imparfait.
1 story in this collection
1 graded french reader
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Answers
Imparfait French stories — FAQ
Q01What is the imparfait in French?
What is the imparfait in French?
The imparfait is a French past tense for ongoing, habitual, or descriptive actions — what was happening or used to happen. It contrasts with the passé composé, which reports single completed events.
Q02How do you conjugate the imparfait in French?
How do you conjugate the imparfait in French?
Take the nous present form, drop -ons, add -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient. Example: nous parlons → je parlais, il parlait. Être is irregular: j'étais, tu étais, il était, nous étions, vous étiez, ils étaient.
Q03When do I use imparfait vs passé composé?
When do I use imparfait vs passé composé?
Use the passé composé for completed actions (hier j'ai acheté du pain). Use the imparfait for habits and background (quand j'étais enfant, j'achetais du pain le dimanche). They combine: Je lisais quand le téléphone a sonné.
Q04What are common imparfait trigger words?
What are common imparfait trigger words?
Toujours, souvent, d'habitude, pendant que, en général, quand j'étais petit — these usually signal the imparfait, though meaning still decides.
Q05How can I practice the imparfait with stories?
How can I practice the imparfait with stories?
Read graded French stories that recycle the imparfait in narration — childhood memories, daily routines, and scene-setting. MeloLingua glosses each form with English support and a quick comprehension check.
Q06Where else can I practice French after these stories?
Where else can I practice French after these stories?
Continue with French reading practice at /french-reading-practice, graded texts at /french-texts-to-read, or daily audio and speaking sessions in MeloLingua.
Keep reading on-site
Imparfait French stories
Finish a story in this collection, then carry the same scene into MeloLingua with native audio, tap-to-translate vocabulary, and speaking drills matched to what you read.