9.6. Les actions et situations en cours dans le passé

Using the Imparfait to Express Ongoing Actions and Situations in the Past

9.6.1. The Main Idea

Use the imparfait to describe actions or situations that were ongoing in the past.

Je regardais un film.	I was watching a movie.
Il pleuvait.	It was raining.
Nous étions à la maison.	We were at home.
Elle dormait.	She was sleeping.

The imparfait often describes what was happening, what was going on, or what the situation was like.

9.6.2. Ongoing Actions

Je faisais mes devoirs.	I was doing my homework.
Tu regardais la télé.	You were watching TV.
Il écoutait de la musique.	He was listening to music.
Elle lisait un livre.	She was reading a book.
Nous mangions au restaurant.	We were eating at the restaurant.
Ils jouaient dehors.	They were playing outside.

9.6.3. Ongoing Situations

J’étais fatigué.	I was tired. masculine speaker
J’étais fatiguée.	I was tired. feminine speaker
Il faisait froid.	It was cold.
Il faisait beau.	The weather was nice.
La maison était calme.	The house was quiet.
Le quartier était tranquille.	The neighbourhood was peaceful.
Nous étions en classe.	We were in class.

9.6.4. Background Information

The imparfait is often used to set the scene before another event happens.

Il pleuvait.	It was raining.
Il faisait froid.	It was cold.
J’étais à la maison.	I was at home.
Je regardais un film.	I was watching a movie.
Ma sœur faisait ses devoirs.	My sister was doing her homework.

These sentences create the background, almost like the stage lights before the action enters.

9.6.5. Imparfait + Passé Composé

Use the imparfait for the background action or situation.

Use the passé composé for the completed event that happened.

Je regardais un film quand mon ami est arrivé.	I was watching a movie when my friend arrived.
Je faisais mes devoirs quand ma mère a appelé.	I was doing my homework when my mother called.
Il pleuvait quand je suis sorti.	It was raining when I went out.
Nous étions au café quand le concert a commencé.	We were at the café when the concert started.

9.6.6. Common Ongoing-Time Expressions

pendant que	while
quand	when
à ce moment-là	at that moment
ce jour-là	that day
hier soir	last night
le matin	in the morning
l’après-midi	in the afternoon
le soir	in the evening

9.6.7. Examples with Pendant Que

Pendant que je faisais mes devoirs, mon frère regardait la télé.	While I was doing my homework, my brother was watching TV.
Pendant que je cuisinais, ma sœur écoutait de la musique.	While I was cooking, my sister was listening to music.
Pendant que nous mangions, il pleuvait.	While we were eating, it was raining.
Pendant que tu dormais, j’étudiais.	While you were sleeping, I was studying.

9.6.8. Negative Sentences

Place ne… pas around the verb in the imparfait.

Je regardais la télé.	I was watching TV.
Je ne regardais pas la télé.	I was not watching TV.
Il pleuvait.	It was raining.
Il ne pleuvait pas.	It was not raining.
Nous étions à la maison.	We were at home.
Nous n’étions pas à la maison.	We were not at home.

9.6.9. Core Patterns

imparfait	was / were ___ing
Je faisais ___ .	I was doing ___.
Je regardais ___ .	I was watching ___.
J’étais ___ .	I was ___.
Il faisait ___ .	It was ___, weather.
Il pleuvait.	It was raining.
Pendant que + imparfait	while something was happening
imparfait + quand + passé composé	background + completed event

9.6.10. Practice

I was watching a movie. |

I was doing my homework. |

She was reading a book. |

It was raining. |

It was cold. |

We were at home. |

While I was studying, my brother was sleeping. |

I was watching a movie when my friend arrived. |

It was raining when I went out. |

9.6.11. Answers

I was watching a movie.	Je regardais un film.
I was doing my homework.	Je faisais mes devoirs.
She was reading a book.	Elle lisait un livre.
It was raining.	Il pleuvait.
It was cold.	Il faisait froid.
We were at home.	Nous étions à la maison.
While I was studying, my brother was sleeping.	Pendant que j’étudiais, mon frère dormait.
I was watching a movie when my friend arrived.	Je regardais un film quand mon ami est arrivé.
It was raining when I went out.	Il pleuvait quand je suis sorti.

9.6.12. Short Dialogue

A : Qu’est-ce que tu faisais hier soir ?	A: What were you doing last night?
B : Je faisais mes devoirs. Et toi ?	B: I was doing my homework. And you?
A : Je regardais un film quand mon ami a appelé.	A: I was watching a movie when my friend called.
B : Il faisait beau ?	B: Was the weather nice?
A : Non, il pleuvait.	A: No, it was raining.

9.6.13. Checkpoint

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to use the imparfait to describe ongoing actions and situations in the past, set background information, use pendant que, and combine the imparfait with the passé composé to show what was happening when another event occurred.