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Knowing whether to use the passé composé or imparfait is particularly difficult when translating certain verbs into French. Before reading this lesson, be sure you understand the basics of passé composé vs imparfait.

Very broadly speaking, the French imperfect is equivalent to the English past progressive (was/were + ___ing), but some English verbs are not often used in this form. So when translating things like was, had, and liked into French, you really have to think about the meaning in order to decide which French tense to use.

French verbs that usually describe background information such as situations, states of being, or mental states are most commonly used in the imperfect:

• aimer – to like, love
• avoir – to have
• croire – to believe
• espérer – to hope
• être – to be
• faire – to be (weather)
• penser – to think
• sembler – to seem
• se sentir – to feel

Par exemple…

But they are used in the passé composé when talking about something that happened suddenly, or something that occurred with a clear beginning and/or end.

Par exemple…

 When periphrastic tenses are used in the past, the verb is always imperfect:

 Remember that in literature and other formal writing, the passé simple takes the place of the passé composé.

More imparfait vs passé composé

• Introduction to passé composé vs imparfait
• Verbs usually in the imperfect
• Verbs with different meanings depending on tense
• Passé composé vs imparfait clues

 Video: Passé composé vs imparfait

 Passé composé vs imparfait quizzes

Think you’ve got it? Test yourself on the difference between passé composé and imparfait with these fill-in-the-blanks exercises:

• Conte de fées
• Dimanche à Chartres
• Mamie Gâteau
• Mon jour férié
• Pendant le confinement
• Une ville magique

Note: You must be logged into your Progress with Lawless French account to take these tests. If you don’t have one, sign up – it’s free!

 Related lessons

• Imparfait lesson
• Passé composé lesson
• Auxiliary verbs: avoir vs être
   

 En español

• Pretérito versus imperfecto
   

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The letter combination il has various pronunciations depending on what precedes it. Phonetic symbols are provided in [brackets].

Il is pronounced [il]

• on its own
• when preceded by a consonant
• in the letter combination "consonant + uil" (but not uille*)

Par exemple…

When preceded by any other vowel, the l in il is pronounced [j], as in all of these letter combinations (click for lessons and sound files):

* L is also pronounced [j] in all vowel + ille combinations, including uille.

 However, –ille may be pronounced [l] or [j] – take a look at LL for more info.

 Related lessons

• Letters: I | L | LL
• French vowels

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French proficiency test by

Published on Lawless French

     

French proficiency test by

Published on Lawless French

     

Informal French Expression

Meaning	to have a swelled/swollen head, be full of oneself, be too big for one’s britches
Literally	to have ankles that swell
Register	informal
Pronunciation		[ah vwar lay sheu veey kee a(n)fl]
IPA		[a vwaʁ le ʃə vij ki ãfl]

Usage notes: The French idiom avoir les chevilles qui enflent is an informal way to insult a person who thinks too highly of himself or herself.

This is one case where I think the English expression is better. One’s ego is in one’s head, so it makes sense that being very egotistical would mean a person had a big head. In French, though, you think a lot of yourself and your ankles swell… where’s the logic in that? 

Par exemple…

Synonymous expression: avoir la grosse tête – literally, “to have the big head”

 Related lessons

• Avoir conjugations
• Enfler conjugations
• Parts of the body
• Qui – relative pronoun

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If you want to start learning French from the bottom up, you’ve come to the right place! Lawless French for Beginners is a self-study course divided into 30 loosely themed units consisting of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation lessons; cultural tips; and assorted listening exercises and quizzes along the way. Keep reading for some info and advice on making the most of this course, or go straight to the lessons.

How to learn French

Each unit is in the form of a checklist with links to online lessons and other resources. I recommend spending at least a week but no more than a month on each unit: study/practice each item in the list and then go back through them again more quickly to cement your learning before moving on to the next unit. And of course you can go back to an earlier unit any time you like.

More tips: How to learn French online

Offline alternative

Take a look at my French Workbook for Dummies, filled with lessons and practice exercises.

Practice is essential

Studying is just the first step – you have to practice what you’re learning as much as possible. As a beginner, you might not feel comfortable diving into conversations with native speakers, so how about an AI chatbot? It speaks and understands like a native speaker, but it never gets bored!

Getting serious

If your self study isn’t going fast enough for you, consider hiring a French tutor. They’ll be able to work with you to concentrate on exactly what you want to learn and what you have the most trouble with.

Are you really a beginner?

If you’re not an absolute beginner, I recommend you take at least one of these free proficiency tests in order to figure out where you are:

• French proficiency test (CEFR levels A1 and A2)
  The answers page includes a link to the relevant lesson for each question.
   
• Progress with Lawless French (all levels)
  After taking the placement test, you’ll receive a level assessment and personalized study plan.

Also try Frantastique – this fun program uses comics and videos to tell the story of a pair of aliens who bring Victor Hugo back to life and help him navigate this strange new world.
 

Units

1. Greetings, introductions, nouns, verbs, alphabet
2. Politeness, social niceties, definite articles, subject pronouns, –er verbs, vowels
3. Essential French, tu vs vous, present tense, the letter I
4. Numbers, il y a, avoir (to have), the letters A and O
5. Telling time, c’est / il est, indefinite articles, the letter E
    
6. Calendar, être (to be), –ir verbs, the letter U
7. Dates, good-bye, aller (to go), accents
8. Weather, faire (to do, make), adjectives, the letter H
9. Food, partitive articles, pouvoir (to be able to), nasal vowels
10. Feelings, easy questions (est-ce que), negation, consonants
     
11. Family, drinks, preposition de, recent past (venir de), the letters B and D
12. Body, toiletries, reflexive verbs, the letter C
13. Clothes, colors, hard questions (inversion), the letters F and P
14. Descriptions, à, stem-changing verbs, the letter G
15. Home and furniture, possessive adjectives, vouloir (to want), the letter K
     
16. School, office, adverbs, devoir (to have to), the letter J
17. Transportation, questions, savoir vs connaître (to know), the letter Q
18. Directions, demonstrative adjectives, –re verbs, the letter L
19. Personality, prepositions, dormir-partir-sortir, the letters M and N
20. Professions, passé composé, auxiliary verbs, the letter R
     
21. Ordinal numbers, coordinating conjunctions, imperfect, the letters S and T
22. Fractions, passé composé vs imparfait, the letters V and W
23. Hobbies, direct objects, dire-écrire-lire, the letter Y
24. Shopping, shops and businesses, indirect objects, imperative, the letter Z
25. Weights and measures, adverbial pronoun y, future tense, silent letters
     
26. Restaurant, adverbial pronoun en, conditional, liaisons
27. Nationalities, subordinating conjunctions, past perfect, enchaînement
28. Languages, à vs de, infinitive, e instable
29. On the phone, stressed pronouns, present participles, elisions
30. Dishes and silverware, comparatives, superlatives, contractions

Et voilà ! Follow the above for a thorough grounding in beginning French, then use the links below to continue your studies. Bonne continuation !
 

 Useful resources

• Beginning French lessons and reading/listening
• Explanation of CEFR levels
• Find a French tutor
• French Workbook for Dummies
• Independent study
• Progress with Lawless French
• Relearning French
• Verb conjugations
   

 En español

• Spanish for beginners
   

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Published on Lawless French