The Difference Between Passé Composé and Imparfait (With Examples)

Passé Composé or Imparfait? How to Choose the Right French Past Tense

Understanding the difference between passé composé and imparfait is one of the biggest challenges for French learners. Both are used to talk about the past, but they don’t mean the same thing and aren’t interchangeable.

If you’ve ever wondered: “Should I say j’ai vu or je voyais?”, this article will give you the clear, simple explanation you need. By the end, you’ll know when to use each tense, and you’ll be able to tell stories in French naturally — just like native speakers do.

The Basics: Two Different Ways to Talk About the Past

French has several past tenses, but the two you’ll use most often are:

• Le Passé Composé → used for completed actions

• L’Imparfait → used for ongoing actions or descriptions
  

They often appear together in the same sentence, because real stories combine actions (what happened) and background information (what was happening).

Let’s break it down.

What Is the Passé Composé?

The passé composé is used to describe specific, finished actions or events that happened once in the past.

It answers the question “What happened?”

How It’s Formed:

It’s made up of two parts:

• The auxiliary (avoir or être) in the present tense

• The past participle of the main verb

Examples:

• J’ai mangé une pizza. → I ate a pizza.

• Il est parti à 8 heures. → He left at 8 o’clock.

• Nous avons visité Paris en juin. → We visited Paris in June.
  

Common Uses of the Passé Composé:

• Completed actions: J’ai terminé mes devoirs.

• One-time events: Elle a rencontré son mari en 2010.

• Series of actions: Il est arrivé, il a vu, il a gagné.

• Change or result: J’ai compris la leçon.

Think of it as the “snapshot tense” — something that happens, starts, and finishes in the past.

What Is the Imparfait?

The imparfait describes background actions, situations, or repeated habits in the past.

It answers the question “What was happening?” or “What used to happen?”

How It’s Formed:

Take the “nous” form of the verb in the present tense, remove -ons, and add these endings:

• -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient
  

Example with « parler »:

• Je parlais

• Tu parlais

• Il / Elle parlait

• Nous parlions

• Vous parliez

• Ils / Elles parlaient
  

Common Uses of the Imparfait:

• Descriptions: Il faisait beau. (The weather was nice.)

• Emotions or states: J’étais fatigué. (I was tired.)

• Habits or repeated actions: Quand j’étais petit, je jouais au foot. (When I was little, I used to play soccer.)

• Background situations: Je regardais la télé quand il a appelé. (I was watching TV when he called.)

Think of it as the “background tense” — it sets the scene or describes what was in progress.

Passé Composé vs Imparfait — The Key Difference

Here’s the rule most learners find helpful:

Use passé composé for actions that move the story forward, and imparfait for descriptions or actions that set the scene.

Example 1:

Il faisait froid et il neigeait. Soudain, j’ai entendu un bruit.

Translation: It was cold and snowing. Suddenly, I heard a noise.

• faisait and neigeait → background description (imparfait)

• ai entendu → main action (passé composé)
  

Example 2:

Quand j’étais enfant, je jouais souvent dans le jardin. Un jour, j’ai trouvé un chaton.

Translation: When I was a child, I used to play in the garden. One day, I found a kitten.

• étais and jouais → habitual past (imparfait)

• ai trouvé → one-time event (passé composé)
  

Example 3:

Je lisais un livre quand tu as téléphoné.

Translation: I was reading a book when you called.

• lisais → ongoing action (imparfait)

• as téléphoné → interrupting action (passé composé)
  

How to Decide Quickly Between the Two

Here’s a simple test you can apply when you’re unsure which tense to use Passé Composé or Imparfait:

• Ask yourself: Is the action finished, completed, or specific?
  If yes, use Passé Composé.

• Ask yourself: Is it a description, a habit, or an ongoing situation?
  If yes, use Imparfait.

• Ask yourself: Does the action interrupt something else that was happening?
  If yes, use Passé Composé.

• Ask yourself: Does it set the scene or background information?
  If yes, use Imparfait.
  

Tip: When in doubt, imagine the action on a movie timeline, if it’s a main event, it’s usually Passé Composé; if it’s background context, it’s Imparfait.

Practice Makes Perfect: Short Exercise

Try to choose the correct tense:

1. Hier soir, je (regarder) ___ la télé quand tu (appeler) ___.
   → Hier soir, je regardais la télé quand tu as appelé.

2. Quand j’étais petit, nous (aller) ___ à la plage chaque été.
   → Quand j’étais petit, nous allions à la plage chaque été.

3. Il (pleuvoir) ___ beaucoup, alors nous (rester) ___ à la maison.
   → Il pleuvait beaucoup, alors nous sommes restés à la maison.
   
   

Final Tips to Master the Difference

1. Listen to French stories or podcasts. Notice when speakers use passé composé vs imparfait.

2. Write daily mini-journals. Describe your day using both tenses: Ce matin, j’ai pris mon café. Il faisait beau.

3. Learn signal words:

   • Hier, soudain, tout à coup → usually passé composé

   • Souvent, toujours, quand j’étais petit, d’habitude → usually imparfait

4. Practice storytelling. Describe a vacation or memory — combine the two naturally.
   
   

Conclusion

The passé composé and imparfait are not rivals — they work together to make your stories richer and more precise.

Remember:

• Use passé composé for what happened once or what interrupted.

• Use imparfait for what was happening, descriptions, and habits.

With consistent practice, you’ll soon use both tenses naturally — and sound much more fluent in French storytelling and conversation.