French help!

Question

I have an exam today and I need help understanding the difference between conditionnel and imparfait tenses. Can anyone possibly compose a story of multiple paragraphs, that way I can see the patterns of these two different tenses? Please and thank you so much for your help!

Oh, and could you possibly do the same with the passe compose and imparfait tenses? Thank you so much!

Answer 1

Passe Compose: Translates directly to past tense, ex: I went to the store.

 

PC has two parts, Auxiliary Verb (helping verb) and the Participe Passe (past participle). The two MUST GO TOGETHER. If you want to say "I went to the store", in the PC, you say "Je suis allé à le magasin". SUIS is the je form of etre, the helping verb in this case, and the past participle is the same for every form, je,tu,il/elle, etc. Some verbs use être for the helping verb, but the majority use avoir. 

 

Imparfait: Unlike PC, Imparfait has conditions. What is being described in this past tense must be either A. descriptive (the weather, time, age, feelings) B. wishes or suggestions C. something you were doing, was doing, or used to do D. things that happened outside of a finite time constraint. (NOTE: PC- I went to the store. IP- I was at the store when....)

All you do is take the stem and add the following endings in the pattern of je, tu, etc: -ais,-ais, -ait,-ions,-iez,-ieant. 

Il était midi et il faisait beau. 

It was noon and the weather was nice

 

Conditionnel: Remember the conditionnel by remembering that we sometimes have conditions for doing things (under one condition, only if, if this happens, that can happen, etc). The conditionnel is in an if...then format, to express what would happen if a condition is met. 

Il mangerait s'il avait faim.
He would eat if he were hungry. --- note that the "if he were hungry" part of the sentence is in the imparfait. It is conjugated the same way as the imparfait, but it has a different context. I would and I was are two different things. 

 

For a list of verbs and every tense and their endings, you can go to http://french.about.com/ and type in the verb you are looking to conjugate in the search box.

 

 

Answer 2

I am sorry Jamie, but the translation of " I went to the store" is " Je suis allé(e) au magasin" et non pas " à le magasin". We need to use here " l'article contracté"

Merci pour votre explication.

Bonne journée,

Chantal

Answer 3

Hello,

Im sure this can be very confusing as to distinguis hbetwwen 'Conditionnel and Imparfais'.

Let me start by 'Imparfais':

Usually this tense can be use  to describe something or for continuous action or repeated action.

Example 1: For description( you are describing something)

They were all wearing white clothes with a red belt on their waist.

Elles portaient tous des vêtements blancs avec une ceinture rouge à la taille.

Example 2: Continuous action

The children was walking towards the bus (walking is a continuos action)

Les enfants marchaient vers l'autobus.

 

now lets look at 'Conditionnel'

There are Two 'Conditionnel':

Conditionnel Present;

This is use normally when there is a probability, a hypothesis or supposition

It is also use to express a wish

But it is more often use in this way- si (if)+imparfait next verb Conditionnel.)

-Example 1: Si (if)+imparfait next verb Conditionnel

If I was president I would travel everywhere

Si j'étais president je voyagerais partout.

 

-Example 2: (to express a wish)

I would like to eat chicken tonight.

J'aimerais manger du poulet se soir

 

-Example 3:(probability..)

We probably will go shopping on this particular day.

Nous profiterions peut être de se jour pour aller faire des courses.

 

Conditionnel Passé:

-Use to express regret:

Example 1:We would have loved to tell him a last goodbye

Nous aurions aimé lui dire un dernier adieu.

-Express something that we could have done or been but unfortunately haven't.

Example 2: I would like to tell him how much I love him but am too shy.

J'aurais aimé lui dire combien je l'aime mais je suis trop timide.

 

For Passé Composé it is easier:

-Its just an action that happen in the past.

Example 1: I wrote a letter for my mum yesterday.

J'ai écris une lettre à ma mère hier.

 

Tips: Almost all french verb have same logic, learn some and their different tenses, compare to other verbs and this will apply. However you have to know if it  from 'auxiliare avoir ou être. There are few exceptions.  

 

Hope it helped

:)