Tenses Beyond the Present
Once the present tense is solid, these eight forms cover almost everything you need to talk about the past, the future, and what you want someone to do.
Le Passé Composé
The everyday past tense. Use it for completed, one-off actions: what happened, and what you did.
Formation: avoir / être (présent) + participe passé
I spoke
you finished
he sold
we spoke
you finished
they sold
In context
I ate at the restaurant.
zhay mahn-ZHAY oh res-toh-RAHN
She went to Paris.
el ay tah-LAY ah pah-REE
We finished the work.
noo-zah-VOHN fee-NEE luh trah-VYE
Passé Composé: Être or Avoir
Around 17 verbs of motion and change of state take être instead of avoir — and the participle then agrees with the subject.
Formation: DR & MRS VANDERTRAMP + verbes pronominaux → être
I went
you came
she left
we stayed
you went up
they were born
In context
She arrived yesterday.
el ay tah-ree-VAY ee-YAIR
We went out together.
noo som sor-TEE ahn-SAHM-bluh
I got up early.
zhuh muh swee luh-VAY toh
L'Imparfait
The background past. Use it for habits, ongoing states, descriptions and setting the scene.
Formation: radical de « nous » au présent + -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient
I was speaking
you were speaking
he was speaking
we were speaking
you were speaking
they were speaking
In context
When I was little, I used to play football.
kahn zhay-TAY puh-TEE
The weather was nice that day.
eel fuh-ZAY boh
We used to live in Lyon.
noo-zah-bee-tee-OHN ah lee-OHN
Le Futur Simple
The plain future. Use it for predictions, promises and plans that are not immediate.
Formation: infinitif + -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont
I will speak
you will speak
he will speak
we will speak
you will speak
they will speak
In context
I will leave tomorrow morning.
zhuh par-tee-RAY duh-MAN
We will be ready at noon.
noo suh-ROHN PRAY
She will come next week.
el vee-ain-DRAH
Le Futur Proche
The near future. Use it for what is about to happen — far more common in speech than the futur simple.
Formation: aller (présent) + infinitif
I am going to eat
you are going to leave
he is going to come
we are going to go out
you are going to see
they are going to arrive
In context
I'm going to call my mother.
zhuh vay ah-play
We're going to eat in ten minutes.
ohn vah mahn-ZHAY
It's going to rain.
eel vah pluh-VWAHR
L'Impératif
Commands, instructions and invitations. Only three forms exist: tu, nous and vous.
Formation: présent sans pronom (tu, nous, vous) ; -er → pas de -s à « tu »
Speak!
Let's speak!
Speak!
Go!
Let's finish!
Wait!
In context
Listen to me!
ay-KOOT mwah
Don't forget your passport!
noo-BLEE pah
Please have a seat.
ah-say-YAY voo
Le Gérondif
Expresses two simultaneous actions, or the means by which something is done: 'while doing' / 'by doing'.
Formation: en + radical de « nous » + -ant
while speaking
while finishing
while selling
while doing
while having
while being
In context
He sings while working.
eel shahnt ahn trah-vye-YAHN
On arriving, I saw the letter.
ahn nah-ree-VAHN
You learn by practising.
ohn nah-PRAHN ahn prah-tee-KAHN
Reflexive Verbs
Verbs where the subject acts on itself. They always take être in the passé composé.
Formation: pronom réfléchi (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) + verbe
I get up
you wash yourself
he goes to bed
we get up
you get dressed
they rest
In context
I wake up at seven.
zhuh muh ray-VAY
Her name is Camille.
el sah-PEL
We take a walk in the park.
noo noo prom-NOHN
Passé Composé vs. Imparfait
Both are past tenses, and choosing between them is the single hardest A2 decision. The passé composé moves the story forward — a finished action at a definite moment. The imparfait holds the story still — the scenery, the habit, the state that was already going on. A useful test: if you could say 'used to' or 'was …-ing' in English, reach for the imparfait.
Yesterday I ate at a restaurant.
I used to eat at restaurants often.
It was raining when I went out.