Use of Present Perfect and Imperfect

Use of Present Perfect and Imperfect

Unlike the imperfect, which is used to describe settings or habitual actions in the past, the present perfect (passé composé) is the tense of choice for describing events, actions which advance the narrative. Frequently the two tenses will be used in the same passage, even in the same sentence. In general, the passé composé recounts distinct events, while the imperfect describes more static or contextual elements. In general, the passé composé corresponds to the actions one might tell in a story, while the imperfect corresponds to decor or background.

Compare the use of passé composé and the imperfect in the following examples. In each case the passé composé signals the principal action of the phrase:

Elle lisait quand je suis arrivée. She was reading when I arrived.

Or it may be used to signal the interruption of a longer action (which will usually be placed in the imperfect):

Pendant que je dormais, le professeur m'a appelé.

While I was sleeping, the professor called on me.

Next Topic
Previous Topic

Descriptive French Grammar
French Language Main Page

Modern Romance Languages Main Page
Orbis Latinus Main Page