{"id":6597,"date":"2021-03-22T07:44:13","date_gmt":"2021-03-22T07:44:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elblogdeidiomas.es\/?p=6597"},"modified":"2021-03-19T19:45:36","modified_gmt":"2021-03-19T19:45:36","slug":"past-tenses-in-french","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elblogdeidiomas.es\/en\/past-tenses-in-french\/","title":{"rendered":"Past tenses in French"},"content":{"rendered":"

Past tenses in French<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\n

INDEX OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n

    \n
  • When past tenses are there in French?<\/li>\n
  • Recent past<\/li>\n
  • Imperfect \/ past tense<\/li>\n
  • Simple past<\/li>\n
  • Compound past tense<\/li>\n
  • Past participle<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

    The past in French is a very important topic in French grammar or more precisely in French conjugation.\u00a0In this article, we will\u00a0recap the five main tenses of the past in French to which we can add the recent past.\u00a0<\/strong>The past tenses are numerous in French.\u00a0The main ones are: the past, the imperfect and the more than perfect.\u00a0It is important to check them from time to time to get to know them well.<\/p>\n

    How many past tenses are there in French?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    \u00a0<\/strong>There are\u00a0five main past tenses in French<\/strong>\u00a0to which we can add the recent past.<\/p>\n

      \n
    • The recent past (pseudo-verbal tense)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      (el pasado reciente (tiempo pseudo-verbal))<\/p>\n

        \n
      • The past tense (first strong past tense)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        (el tiempo pasado (primer tiempo fuerte del pasado))<\/p>\n

          \n
        • The imperfect (second highlight of the past)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          (lo imperfecto (segundo punto culminante del pasado))<\/p>\n

            \n
          • The more than perfect (tense composed of the imperfect)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            (lo m\u00e1s que perfecto (tiempo compuesto por lo imperfecto))<\/p>\n

              \n
            • The simple past (time of the novel \u2026)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              (el pasado simple (tiempo de la novela\u2026))<\/p>\n

                \n
              • Past tense (simple past tense)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                (el tiempo pasado (tiempo del tiempo pasado simple))<\/p>\n

                Recent past<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                The recent past is used to describe a situation that just happened.\u00a0(Verb “come” in the present tense + infinitive of the verb to be conjugated).<\/p>\n

                  \n
                • Je viens de terminer mon repas<\/em>\u00a0(I just finished my meal).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  Imperfect \/ past tense<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                  The imperfect\u00a0is used to describe general situations that are not necessarily limited<\/strong>\u00a0(= delimited) in time.\u00a0In fact, it is mainly used to describe the decoration and express a habitual action.\u00a0(= that is repeated) in the past.<\/p>\n

                  On the other hand,\u00a0the past tense will\u00a0be used<\/strong>\u00a0to express a specific action and more limited in time.\u00a0It is above all a complete action where the duration of the action is much more precise and defined.\u00a0In general, it describes events that do not repeat themselves, that are not common.<\/p>\n

                  Examples.<\/em><\/p>\n

                    \n
                  • \u00a0<\/em>Quand Jean est sorti (pass\u00e9), il \u00e9tait (impartialfait) beau<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    (<\/em>\u00a0When Jean came out (past tense), he was (imperfect) beautiful).<\/p>\n

                      \n
                    • Quand j\u2019\u00e9tais petite, je regardais souvent la t\u00e9l\u00e9vision (imparfaite) et hier j\u2019ai vu (pass\u00e9) une \u00e9mission de mon enfance.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      (When I was little, I often watched television (imperfect) and yesterday I saw (past tense) a program from my childhood).<\/p>\n

                      More than perfect<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                      \u00a0<\/strong>The more than perfect\u00a0is the compound tense of the imperfect<\/strong>\u00a0.\u00a0It is used to mark an anteriority in comparison with other tenses in the past, particularly the imperfect or past tense.<\/p>\n

                      Examples.<\/em><\/p>\n

                        \n
                      • \u00a0<\/em>Il lisait a livre qu’il avait re\u00e7u pour son anniversaire.\u00a0(Vous devez avoir re\u00e7u le livre avant de le lire, la pr\u00e9s\u00e9ance est v\u00e9rifi\u00e9e).<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                        (He was reading a book that he received for his birthday. (He must have received the book before reading it, precedence is checked)).<\/p>\n

                          \n
                        • J\u2019ai pr\u00e9par\u00e9 le plat que vous avez command\u00e9.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                          (I prepared the dish you asked for).<\/p>\n

                          Simple past<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                          The simple past replaces the past tense in\u00a0written literary language<\/strong>\u00a0(novel, short story, fable\u2026).<\/p>\n

                          In fact, it creates a feeling of being out of tune with reality.<\/p>\n

                            \n
                          • Au dernier commandement, toutes les voiles ont \u00e9t\u00e9 abaiss\u00e9es et le navire a avanc\u00e9 de mani\u00e8re presque insensible\u2026\u00a0<\/em>(On sent tout de suite qu’on est dans le cadre du roman).<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                            (At the last command, all the sails were lowered and the ship advanced in an almost insensitive manner\u2026 (We immediately feel that we are in the framework of the novel)).<\/p>\n

                            Note<\/strong>\u00a0.\u00a0It is possible to use the past simple orally when, for example, a story is told to children, a story …<\/p>\n

                            Compound past tense<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                            The past tense made up of most verbs is formed with the verb have. The auxiliary is used:<\/p>\n

                            With the following 14 verbs:<\/p>\n

                              \n
                            • na\u00eetre \/ mourir, aller \/ come, monter \/ descendre, arriver \/ depart, entrer \/ sortir, appara\u00eetre, rester, revenir, tomber et leurs formes compos\u00e9es, par exemple: revenir, revenir, se lever, descendre, depart.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                              (born \/ die, go \/ come, rise \/ descend, arrive \/ leave, enter \/ leave, appear, stay, return, fall and their compound forms, for example: return, return, get up, descend, leave).<\/p>\n

                              Example:<\/p>\n

                                \n
                              • Je suis arriv\u00e9 \u00e0 la gare<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                (I arrived at the station.)<\/p>\n

                                With pronominal verbs.<\/em><\/h3>\n

                                \u00a0<\/em>Example:<\/p>\n

                                  \n
                                • Je me suis tromp\u00e9 dans mon calcul.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                  (I was wrong in my calculation).<\/p>\n

                                  Information<\/strong><\/h3>\n

                                  The past tense is the compound tense that corresponds to the simple past tense.\u00a0It is used to mark an anteriority compared to the past simple.<\/strong><\/p>\n

                                    \n
                                  • Il est rentr\u00e9 \u00e0 la maison apr\u00e8s le d\u00e9part de Paul.\u00a0<\/em>(Paul part avant et apr\u00e8s “il” rentre \u00e0 la maison<\/em> ).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                    (He came home after Paul left. (Paul leaves before and after \u201che\u201d comes home)).<\/p>\n

                                    If the verbs descend, \u00ae enter, (re) ascend, reenter, return and exit are constructed with a COD, we use the auxiliary have.\u00a0This often involves a change in meaning.<\/p>\n

                                    Example:<\/p>\n

                                      \n
                                    • A quelle heure \u00eates-vous parti ce matin?<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                      What time did you leave this morning?\u00a0(without COD)<\/p>\n

                                        \n
                                      • more: Avez-vous sorti les carottes du frigo hier soir?\u00a0(sortir quoi? carottes \u2192 COD)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                        (but: Did you get the carrots out of the fridge last night? (take what? carrots \u2192 COD))<\/p>\n

                                        Past participle<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                                        \u00a0<\/strong>The past participle of regular verbs ending in -er \/ -ir \/ -re is easy to construct:<\/p>\n

                                          \n
                                        • Infinitive in -er – Participle in -\u00e9<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                          Example:<\/p>\n

                                            \n
                                          • Amour – aim\u00e9<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                            (to love – loved)<\/p>\n

                                            Infinitive in -ir – Participle in -i<\/strong><\/h3>\n

                                            \u00a0<\/strong>Example:<\/p>\n

                                              \n
                                            • finition – fin<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                              (finish – finished)<\/p>\n

                                              Infinitive in -re – Participle in -u<\/strong><\/h3>\n

                                              \u00a0<\/strong>Example:<\/p>\n

                                                \n
                                              • vendre vendu<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                                                (to sell sales)<\/p>\n

                                                The past participle forms of\u00a0irregular verbs can be memorized<\/strong>\u00a0and checked against the list of irregular verbs.<\/p>\n

                                                And here we leave you the closest calls with which to obtain your\u00a0official language degree.<\/p>\n\n\n

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                                                \n \u00a1D\u00e9janos unas estrellitas si te ha gustado el post!<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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