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Imparfait quiz: ten questions on French forms and meaning

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Test French imparfait stems, subject endings, spelling and meaning in ten questions. Each answer explains the form or the viewpoint being tested.

In short

The imparfait describes past routines, settings and activities in progress. Build it from the present nous stem plus -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient; être uses ét-. These ten questions check forms first, then meaning.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A person reading on a sofa as a friend arrives at a French apartment.
Je lisais describes an activity already in progress. Illustration: Atelier

Questions 1–6 ask for a specified imparfait form. Questions 7–10 ask you to read a sentence or identify a tense. Choose one answer each time, then read the explanation to see which detail decides the answer.

  1. Question 1No account needed
    Put parler in the imparfait with je.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    je parlais. Parl- plus -ais gives je parlais. Parlerai is future, while ai parlé is passé composé.

  2. Question 2No account needed
    Put être in the imparfait with nous.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    nous étions. Être uses ét- plus -ions. Sommes is present indicative; soyons is present subjunctive or imperative.

  3. Question 3No account needed
    Complete with avoir in the imparfait.Elles ___ beaucoup de temps.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    avaient. The plural subject elles takes -aient: avaient. Avait belongs to il/elle/on.

  4. Question 4No account needed
    Put manger in the imparfait with vous.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    vous mangiez. The i in -iez already keeps g soft, giving mangiez. Mangez is the present form.

  5. Question 5No account needed
    Put commencer in the imparfait with tu.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    tu commençais. The ending -ais belongs to tu. The cedilla keeps c soft before the a in that ending.

  6. Question 6No account needed
    Put étudier in the imparfait with nous.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    nous étudiions. The stem étudi- keeps its final i before -ions, giving two written i letters in étudiions.

  7. Question 7No account needed
    What is the reading doing in this sentence?Je lisais quand Léa est arrivée.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    It is in progress when Léa arrives.. Lisais gives an activity under way at the arrival. The sentence gives no endpoint for the reading.

  8. Question 8No account needed
    Which sentence means “I was nine years old”?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    J’avais neuf ans.. French uses avoir for age. The imparfait form avais places the age in the past.

  9. Question 9No account needed
    How are the repeated calls presented’La semaine dernière, j’ai appelé ma mère tous les soirs.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    As a completed set within last week.. The passé composé sums up the calls within the finished week. Tous les soirs gives frequency and works in this sentence.

  10. Question 10No account needed
    Which opening uses the imparfait to introduce a polite request?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Je voulais vous poser une question.. Voulais is imparfait and can open a current request. Voudrais and aimerais are conditional forms.

Choose your next practice

Match the question to the skill
QuestionsSkillExample of what to check
1–3Stems and subject endingsFind the present nous stem; identify the subject.
4–5Sound-preserving spellingLook at the first vowel of the ending.
6Stem plus endingKeep a stem-final i before -ions.
7–9Meaning in a whole sentenceNotice the past viewpoint and the French expression.
10Related formsSeparate imparfait voulais from conditional voudrais.

For a closer look at spelling, open the manger and commencer page. For past viewpoint, compare a description with a completed event. The linked pages below give focused practice in the parts this quiz brings together.

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