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Passé Composé & Imparfait. Storytelling skills. Don’t forget: there is homework assigned at the end of this presentation. Some of the instructions may be oral!. Storytelling…. Take a moment and reflect on how often you use storytelling in your daily life.
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Passé Composé & Imparfait Storytelling skills
Don’t forget: there is homework assigned at the end of this presentation. Some of the instructions may be oral!
Storytelling… Take a moment and reflect on how often you use storytelling in your daily life. • You tell your parents and friends about what happened at school today. • You talk about things that happened, or used to happen, when you were younger. • You tell me about your previous French teachers. • You make excuses to your teachers about why the homework didn’t get done! • You give reports at school about historical events or to summarize books that you have read. Storytelling is a major part of communication, not just something we do around a campfire!
For storytelling, two types of past-tense exist in French: • Passé composé, used in these contexts: • Events on a specific occasion • Sequence of events • Emotional reaction • An event that interrupted something already happening • Imparfait(Imperfect) used in these contexts: • Setting the scene • The concept “used to” • General description • Emotional description • Something already happening when another event interrupted it • Something in the past that was ongoing
Conjugation of verbs in imparfait: • Step 1: Conjugate the verb for “nous” in present tense. Example – regardons • Step 2: Remove the “ons” ending. Example - regard This gives you the imparfaitstem. The only exception to this rule is our good friend “être.” The imparfaitstem of être is: ét Given that être is the most common verb in the language, it is important to remember this exception.
Conjugation of verbs in imparfait, continued: Step 3: add imparfait endings to the stem IMPARFAIT ENDINGS: je: ais nous: ions tu: aisvous: iez il/elle/on: aitils/elles: aient **in green are endings that sound exactly alike – pronounced “eh”
Examples of Imparfait • Setting the scene • The concept “used to” • General description • Emotional description • Something already happening when another event interrupted it • Something in the past that was ongoing • Un jour, j’étudiais… • Il regardait “Glee.” • Paris était beau! • Ma mèreétaittrèsdéçue. • Marie et Léaavaient 6 ansquand… • Nous assistions Summit Ridge M.S.
See if you can do it yourself! Note: Just like always, do notconjugate être (in any tense) and follow it with a verb! • It was six o’clock and we were eating breakfast… • My dad used to have a Corvette. • She was tall. • I was happy! • I was doing dishes when… • Every summer my parents went to the Grand Canyon.
How did you do? Note: Just like always, do notconjugate être (in any tense) and follow it with a verb! • It was six o’clock and we were eating breakfast… • Il était six heures et nous mangionsle petit déjeuner… • My dad used to have a Corvette. • Mon pèreavaitune Corvette. • She was tall. • Elle étaitgrande. • I was happy! • J’étaisheureux! • I was doing dishes when… • Je faisais la vaissellequand… • Every summer my parents went to the Grand Canyon. • Tous les étés, mes parents allaient au Grand Canyon.
How about questions and negatives? • What were you (formal) doing when…? • I didn’t used to want children. • Was she pretty? • We were not angry, we were disappointed. • Were you (plural) playing soccer when…? • You (informal) did not finish your homework when you were younger.
How Did You Do? • What were you (formal) doing when…? • Qu’est-cequevousfaisiezquand…? • I didn’t used to want children. • Je ne voulais pas d’enfants. • Was she pretty? • Etait-ellejolie? • We were not angry, we were disappointed. • Nous n’étions pas fâchés, nous étionsdéçus. • Were you (plural) playing soccer when… • Est-cequevousjouiez au football quand… • You (informal) did not finish your homework when you were younger. • Tu ne finissais pas tes devoirs quandtuétais plus jeune.
Let’s talk about context Before you can storytell in French, you have context for passé composé and imparfait “down pat.” That means you have to know when to use each tense (under what circumstances, in what context).
If you were going to tell this story in French… …which tense would you use for each underlined word? Passé composé or imparfait? Yesterday, I when I was walking home, a dragon came up to me and he said, “Hello – I believe we have met before.” I said, “I think we used to live next door to each other! You’re Bill – I remember you!” He replied, “Yes! And I can recall, when you were six, your dog died and your dad told you that he went to live on a farm!” I became suddenly very melancholy, and I told the dragon, “That was a sad day. Bill sighed, and said, “My family and I liked your dog. We were sorry that he departed.” “Thanks,” I said, and I patted his arm. We chatted some more, and finally exchanged phone numbers. He called me yesterday and asked if I’d like to go out to dinner. I said yes!
Now let’s try it in French, with both tenses! • Melanie and I were talking on the phone when my grandfather arrived. • I used to think that televisions were evil, but yesterday I bought a Sony! • Our house was green and white, but my dad didn’t like it. • It was a sad day, but after the “goodbye,” she was content. • When Samuel was ten, the Broncos won the Superbowl. • We have gone to Las Vegas every July, but this year, we did not go.
How did you do? • Melanie and I were talking on the phone when my grandfather arrived. • Mélanie et moiparlions au téléphonequandmon grand-pèreestarrivé. • I used to think that televisions were evil, but yesterday I bought a Sony! • Je pensaisque les télévisionsétaientmalveillantes, maishierj’aiacheté un Sony. • Our house was green and white, but my dad didn’t like it. • Notre maisonétaitverte et blanche maismonpère ne l’aimait pas. • It was a sad day, but after the “goodbye,” she was content. • C’était un jour triste, mais après les “au revoirs” ellea étécontente. • When Samuel was ten, the Broncos won the Superbowl. • Quand Samuel avait dix ans, les Broncos ontgagné le Superbowl. • We have gone to Las Vegas every July, but this year, we did not go. • Nous allions à Las Vegas tous les juillets, maiscetteannée, nous ne sommes pas allées.
Things to remember • Passé composé and imparfait are “partners” but they are not interchangeable • Imparfait does not need a helping verb • Imparfait endings cannot be used alone; it’s an entire conjugated verb! • In speaking, you have to be super-careful about pronunciation, especially when there is an “il a” plus an –er past participle • These two tenses don’t really exist in English, so it doesn’t translate well. Don’t translate; use context and ideas. • It takes a while to get used to it! (The only thing that will help is lots of practice.)
Homework, to be turned in next class: • What skill does learning about imparfait/passé composé build? Why do you think you need that skill? • What are the context criteria for passé composé and imparfait? • Why is it important to know how to conjugate verbs for “nous”? • What is the imparfait stem of être? • Who is Bill the Dragon? • Which one of the “things to remember” is the most likely to help you in the future? • You will need to show me notes that you took and the practice sentences that you tried, while watching this video!
