Understanding the Imparfait in French

The imparfait is a French tense used for past actions without a clear beginning or end. It's employed to describe ongoing states, habitual actions, and background settings in narratives.

To form the imparfait, start with the first person plural present tense form (nous), remove the '-ons' ending, and add the imparfait endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.

Unlike the passé composé, the imparfait describes what was happening, with no reference to its completion. It sets the scene for another action or interrupts with a new event.

The imparfait provides context often in conjunction with the passé composé, which highlights specific completed actions. Together, they weave the fabric of a story's timeline.

The imparfait excels in painting a picture of the past. It details the weather, landscapes, people, and emotions, capturing the essence of a past moment.

For habits or repeated actions in the past, the imparfait is your go-to tense. It describes what someone used to do or would do regularly over a period of time.

Interestingly, the imparfait can also express politeness for present requests. Instead of a direct 'Do you want...', 'Vouliez-vous...' softens the question, a subtlety often missed by learners.