French Past Tenses: Using the Imparfait for 'Used To' Habits and the Passé Composé for 'I Was' Events
Learn when to use the imparfait for past habits and states like 'I used to live in Rome', and when to choose the passé composé for 'I was' in specific events. Includes patterns, dialogue and practice.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
French does not have a single tense for 'used to'. Instead, you choose between the imparfait and the passé composé. The imparfait describes past habits, repeated actions and ongoing states: 'Je vivais à Rome' means 'I used to live in Rome' or 'I was living in Rome'. The passé composé presents a completed event: 'J'ai vécu à Rome' means 'I lived in Rome' (as a finished episode). For 'I was', the choice depends on meaning: 'J'étais fatigué' (I was tired, a state) versus 'J'ai été fatigué' (I was tired, and it ended). This lesson gives you the core distinction, reusable patterns, and practice so you can talk about your past accurately.
By the end, you can…
- use the imparfait to describe past habits and states, equivalent to 'used to' or 'was doing'.
- choose between the imparfait and passé composé for 'I was' depending on whether it is a state or a completed event.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Je vivais à Rome.
I used to live in Rome.
zhuh vee-veh ah rohm
Imparfait for an ongoing past state or habit. The living was not presented as a single completed event.
J'ai vécu à Rome pendant deux ans.
I lived in Rome for two years.
zhay vay-kew ah rohm pahn-dahn duh ahn
Passé composé with a bounded duration. The period is finished and seen as a whole.
Quand j'étais petit, je jouais au foot tous les samedis.
When I was little, I used to play football every Saturday.
kahn zhay-teh puh-tee, zhuh zhoo-eh oh foot too lay sah-muh-dee
Both verbs are imparfait: a background state ('was little') and a repeated habit ('used to play').
J'étais fatigué hier soir.
I was tired last night.
zhay-teh fah-tee-gay ee-air swahr
Imparfait for a temporary state. It describes how you were, not a completed event.
J'ai été malade la semaine dernière.
I was sick last week.
zhay ay-tay mah-lahd luh suh-men dair-nyair
Passé composé for a completed episode of being sick. The illness is over and bounded.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
For 'used to' habits, use the imparfait: 'Avant, je prenais le bus' (Before, I used to take the bus). For a single completed event, use the passé composé: 'Hier, j'ai pris le bus' (Yesterday, I took the bus). For 'I was', choose imparfait for a state: 'J'étais content' (I was happy); choose passé composé for a completed episode: 'J'ai été content de te voir' (I was happy to see you). The imparfait sets the scene; the passé composé moves the story forward.
When to use it
Use the imparfait when the action has no clear beginning or end, when it was repeated, or when it describes a state: 'Il faisait beau' (The weather was nice), 'Nous allions à la plage chaque été' (We used to go to the beach every summer). Use the passé composé when the action is completed, often with a specific time or result: 'J'ai fini mes devoirs' (I finished my homework). In a story, the imparfait gives background and the passé composé gives events. For 'I was', if you can replace it with 'used to be', use imparfait. If it means 'I became' or a finished experience, use passé composé.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Tu habitais où quand tu étais enfant ?
Where did you live when you were a child?tew ee-bee-teh oo kahn tew ay-teh ahn-fahnJ'habitais à Lyon. J'étais très heureux là-bas.
I used to live in Lyon. I was very happy there.zhah-bee-teh ah lee-ohn. zhay-teh tray uh-ruh lah-bahEt tu as déménagé quand ?
And when did you move?ay tew ah day-may-nah-zhay kahnJ'ai déménagé il y a deux ans. J'ai été triste de partir.
I moved two years ago. I was sad to leave.zhay day-may-nah-zhay eel yah duh ahn. zhay ay-tay treest duh par-teerA little context goes a long way
In everyday French, the imparfait often translates English 'used to' or 'was doing', while the passé composé translates simple past events. In Quebec and Belgium, the same distinction applies, though informal speech may sometimes use the passé composé where the imparfait would be more standard in writing. For polite questions to staff, use 'Est-ce que vous pourriez me dire...' (Could you tell me...) rather than direct commands.
One thing to watch for
Using the passé composé for every past situation, including habits and states, as in 'Quand j'ai été petit, j'ai joué au foot tous les samedis.'
Try this instead: For repeated habits and background states, use the imparfait: 'Quand j'étais petit, je jouais au foot tous les samedis.' The passé composé would suggest a single completed action, not a repeated one.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Translate: 'I used to live in Rome.'
Show a sample answer
Je vivais à Rome.
The imparfait 'vivais' expresses a past habit or ongoing state. 'J'ai vécu à Rome' is also possible but means 'I lived in Rome' as a completed episode, often with a time frame.
2Choose the correct form: 'Hier, j'(étais / ai été) malade.'
Show a sample answer
Hier, j'ai été malade.
With 'hier' (yesterday), the sickness is a completed episode, so the passé composé is natural. 'J'étais malade hier' is also correct if you describe your state yesterday without focusing on the end.
3Translate: 'When I was little, I used to play football every Saturday.'
Show a sample answer
Quand j'étais petit, je jouais au foot tous les samedis.
Both verbs are in the imparfait: 'étais' for the background state and 'jouais' for the repeated habit. The passé composé would present these as single completed events.
Use the imparfait for 'used to' habits and ongoing states, and the passé composé for completed events. For 'I was', choose imparfait for a state and passé composé for a finished episode.
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