SIMPLE / CONTINUOUS PAST

Form

Emploi SIMPLE PAST
Affirmation
I looked we looked
you looked you looked
he looked they looked
she looked
it looked
Négation
I did not look we did not look
you did not look you did not look
he did not look they did not look
she did not look
it did not look
Interrogation
did I look? did we look?
did you look? did you look?
did he look? did they look?
did she look?
did it look?

Emploi CONTINUOUS PAST
Affirmation
I was looking we were looking
you were looking you were looking
he was looking they were looking
she was looking
it was looking
Négation
I was not looking we were not looking
you were not looking you were not looking
he was not looking they were not looking
she was not looking
it was not looking
Interrogation
was I looking? were we looking?
were you looking? were you looking?
was he looking? were they looking?
was she looking?
was it looking?
 

Emploi Use

Le prétérit simple s'emploie pour ... The Simple Past is used ...

  • parler d'une action, événement, ou état qui a eu lieu dans une période de temps qui est terminée et où il n'y a pas de lien avec le présent. Il est souvent employé avec un complément de temps (Ex. yesterday, last night, in 1999, 10 years ago) : to talk about a past event or fact which is completely over and has no link with the Present. It is often used with a complement of time. (Ex. yesterday, last night, in 1999, 10 years ago) :
    • J'ai regardé le film à la télé hier soir. Ici, on ne s'intéresse qu'au passé (hier soir). I watched the film on TV last night.
    • J'ai vu ce film il y a longtemps. I saw that film a long time ago.
  • raconter les événements dans une narration : to talk about events in a narration, to talk about one's personal life or experience.
    • Le patron est sorti de son bureau et s'est approché de nous. The boss got out of his office and walked towards us.
  • S'il y a un lien avec le présent, il faut employer le Present Perfect. If there is a link with the present, the Present Perfect should be used.

Le Prétérit Progressif ou Continu s'emploie pour ... The Continuous Preterite is used ...

  • parler d'une action qui était en train de se dérouler à un certain moment du passé : to talk about an action which is talking place at a particular moment is the past.
    • J'étais en train de regarder la télé quand le téléphone a sonné. Au moment où le téléphone a sonné, j'étais en train de regarder la télévision. Le Past Progressive traduit l'imparfait français. I was watching TV when the phone rang.
  • décrire la scène dans une narration (Il s'agit du cadre de l'action) : to describe a scene in a narration. (It is the frame of the action)
    • La secrétaire était tranquillement en train de taper une lettre (ou tapait) . Ici, on décrit le contexte ou la situation. Pour parler ensuite des événements, on emploiera le Simple Preterite. The secretary was quietly typing a letter.