# French Grammar Question: When to use Passé Composé and Imparfait to express "I didn't ..."
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 21, 2016, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724 "2016-03-21T02:09:23Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2016, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724/1 "2016-03-21T02:09:23Z")
Hi
I’m still not sure why I hear and see a lot of imparfait (habitual) being used in situations I would have used passé composé in (one-time events)
Oh I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt you.
Je suis vraiment désolé. Je ne voulais pas vous couper.
We didn’t see anything unusual, nothing to suggest pickpockets in the area.
Nous n’avons rien vu d’inhabituel, rien n’indiquant des pickpockets aux alentours.
I look forward to your feedback.
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### Author:  [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724/2 "2016-03-21T02:47:25Z")
> [@davidmich](#):
>
> … a lot of imparfait (habitual) being used …
>
> Je suis vraiment désolé. Je ne voulais pas vous couper.
> Nous n’avons rien vu d’inhabituel, rien n’indiquant des pickpockets aux alentours.
I’m certainly no French expert. I can barely understand the difference in usages (e…g “the”) between British and American English. And I hope someone translates my comments, right or wrong, into linguisticese.
But it occurs to me that
_Je ne voulais pas vous couper_ isn’t so different from the imperfect _I wasn’t meaning to interrupt you._
_rien n’indiquant des pickpockets_ isn’t an imperfect usage per se, it’s a gerund.
> [@](#):
>
> I look forward to your feedback.
Drop this. (Or change it to “Regards, Asking4Feedback” 😃 )
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### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2016, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724/3 "2016-03-21T03:24:00Z")
> [@davidmich](#):
>
> Je ne voulais pas vous couper.
This is a politeness phrasing, saying that it’s not just a one-time event; I know that as general rule I should not interrupt another person, and I did not mean to do so here. It’s a continuous intention to comply with politeness, expressed in relation to the one time event, which has already occurred.
> [@davidmich](#):
>
> Nous n’avons rien vu d’inhabituel, rien n’indiquant des pickpockets aux alentours.
“Indiquant” is a gerund here, not imparfait, which would be “rien n’indiquait des pickpockets”
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### Author:  [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2016, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724/4 "2016-03-21T03:25:30Z")
> [@septimus](#):
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > I look forward to your feedback.
>
> Drop this. (Or change it to “Regards, Asking4Feedback” 😃 )
Ignore him. 😛
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### Author:  [@Themenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Themenin)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2016, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724/5 "2016-03-21T07:51:24Z")
I don’t now the “linguistic-ese” either, but agree with **Northern Piper**.
It’s a "context"usage, more or less analogous to a continuous tense in English.
Je ne voulais (_imparfait_) pas te couper, du coup je n’ai rien dit (_passé composé_).
Je cherchais (_imparfait_) mes lunettes, je les ai (_passé composé_) trouvées.
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### Author:  [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2016, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724/6 "2016-03-21T14:28:21Z")
> [@Themenin](#):
>
> I don’t now the “linguistic-ese” either, but agree with **Northern Piper**.
>
> It’s a "context"usage, more or less analogous to a continuous tense in English.
>
> Je ne voulais (_imparfait_) pas te couper, du coup je n’ai rien dit (_passé composé_).
>
> Je cherchais (_imparfait_) mes lunettes, je les ai (_passé composé_) trouvées.
Thank you all. Very helpful
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2016, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724/7 "2016-03-22T04:28:25Z")
Huh. All this time, I thought you were French. I kept thinking your name was something like David Michel.
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### Author:  [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2016, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724/8 "2016-03-22T07:04:31Z")
> [@davidmich](#):
>
> Hi
> I’m still not sure why I hear and see a lot of imparfait (habitual) being used in situations I would have used passé composé in (one-time events)
>
> Oh I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt you.
> Je suis vraiment désolé. Je ne voulais pas vous couper.
_Vouloir_ is in the imparfait here because the feeling of wanting is presumed to last beyond the time that the utterance considers. This sort of thing, called an imperfective, is a common use for the imparfait (and it’s where it gets its name). If the feeling had ended at or near the moment that the utterance considers, then the verb would go in the passé composé. With _vouloir_, this tends to give a change in translation. _J’ai voulu_ means something more like “I tried (but it wasn’t possible).”
Also, _couper_ by itself means “to cut.” Your sentence should be something like, “Je ne voulais pas vous couper la parole,” or “Je ne voulais pas vous interrompre.”
> [@](#):
>
> We didn’t see anything unusual, nothing to suggest pickpockets in the area.
> Nous n’avons rien vu d’inhabituel, rien n’indiquant des pickpockets aux alentours.
As others have stated, here _indiquant_ is a gerund. Its use in this way, though, is rare in French. I would suggest putting it into the imparfait. Something like: "Nous n’avons rien vu d’inattendu. Rien qui n’indiquait de pickpockets à proximité.\*
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### Author:  [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2016, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724/9 "2016-03-22T09:13:15Z")
> [@RadicalPi](#):
>
> Also, _couper_ by itself means “to cut.” Your sentence should be something like, “Je ne voulais pas vous couper la parole,” or “Je ne voulais pas vous interrompre.”
Perhaps it’s not proper usage but in everyday speech, _couper_ meaning _interrompre_ doesn’t really require _la parole_ if the context is clear. _Désolé, je vous ai coupé._ is ok with me.
> [@RadicalPi](#):
>
> As others have stated, here _indiquant_ is a gerund. Its use in this way, though, is rare in French. I would suggest putting it into the imparfait. Something like: "Nous n’avons rien vu d’inattendu. Rien qui n’indiquait de pickpockets à proximité.\*
Yes, I also think that the original sentence with _indiquant_ sounds a bit weird. Not really wrong but a bit unnatural.
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### Author:  [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2016, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724/10 "2016-03-22T15:59:33Z")
> [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#):
>
> Perhaps it’s not proper usage but in everyday speech, _couper_ meaning _interrompre_ doesn’t really require _la parole_ if the context is clear. _Désolé, je vous ai coupé._ is ok with me.
>
> Yes, I also think that the original sentence with _indiquant_ sounds a bit weird. Not really wrong but a bit unnatural.
Thanks Les Espaces Du Sommeil. Is there a rule when to use and not use the gerund. I’ve had one native speaker tell me it’s fine. But I’ve come across many French who have trouble with French grammar themselves. One person told me the gerund is OK under certain circumstances. Perhaps you can elaborate on that point. Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2016, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724/11 "2016-03-23T09:37:18Z")
> [@davidmich](#):
>
> Thanks Les Espaces Du Sommeil. Is there a rule when to use and not use the gerund. I’ve had one native speaker tell me it’s fine. But I’ve come across many French who have trouble with French grammar themselves. One person told me the gerund is OK under certain circumstances. Perhaps you can elaborate on that point. Thanks.
First, it’s not a **gérondif** here. The form for the latter is _ **en + participe présent** _ which is not what’s in the sentence. What you have here is a plain **participe présent**.
Then, I didn’t say that the sentence was wrong, just that it doesn’t “flow” naturally. I don’t think I’d ever say it like that, I’m not even sure I’d write it. You see, the _participe présent_ is often replaced by another form, at least in spoken French. Consider these sentences (which I lifted from a French grammar site :o):
\*\*- Les résultats _concernant_ le concours sont publiés.
- Les résultats _qui concernent_ le concours sont publiés.
- Les lots sont remis aux participants _ayant gagné_ le jeu.
- Les lots sont remis aux participants _qui ont gagné_ le jeu.
- L’agence recrute une stagiaire _parlant_ le chinois.
- L’agence recrute une stagiaire _qui parle_ le chinois.\*\*
The first instances have the _participe présent_ and are not something that I’d say spontaneously. I’m much more likely to use the second possibility. The first examples would be fine in writing.
Now to nitpick, repeating your sentence in my head, there _might_ be a slight difference in meaning.
**- Nous n’avons rien vu d’inhabituel, rien n’_indiquait_ des pickpockets aux alentours.**
Could perhaps imply that although you didn’t see pickpockets, there were some in the vicinity. You came to a conclusion that turned out to be wrong. The **imparfait** , although implying duration, is a past tense after all.
**- Nous n’avons rien vu d’inhabituel, rien n’_indiquant_ des pickpockets aux alentours.**
Could imply that, too but less decisively. The **participe présent** expresses a somewhat more permanent state.
Put it this way: sentence 1 would be ok as a conclusion but there could be more to the situation than initially thought. Sentence 2 _might_ have a more “final” aspect to it (there were absolutely no pickpockets around).
I may be overthinking it, though.
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### Author:  [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2016, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724/12 "2016-03-23T13:48:46Z")
[quote=“Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil, post:11, topic:749724”]
First, it’s not a **gérondif** here. The form for the latter is _ **en + participe présent** _ which is not what’s in the sentence. What you have here is a plain **participe présent**.
. Thanks Les Espaces Du SommeilSo I used “participe présent” and not the “gerondif” in my example. -
“Nous n’avons rien vu d’inhabituel, rien n’indiquant des pickpockets aux alentours.” But the sentence was meant to preface that the latter turns out to be a wrong assumption.
What I wanted to imply was that it seemed like there were no pickpockets at first. But then there were pickpockets in the neighborhood after all. So how should my example have been written.
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### Author:  [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724/13 "2016-03-23T14:10:34Z")
I think both work… if you make it clear that it was a wrong assumption by following that sentence with another one that would start with **“Puis soudain, …”** , **“Malheureusement, …”** or **“Mais en fait, …”** or something like that.
As far as I’m concerned, I prefer **Nous n’avons rien vu d’inhabituel, rien n’indiquait (que) des pickpockets (se trouvaient) aux alentours** but the other sentence is correct, too - just a bit less idiomatic for my taste. Note that if you add the words between brackets, you immediately reveal that the assumption was wrong.
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### Author:  [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)
#### Post date: [March 23, 2016, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-grammar-question-when-to-use-passe-compose-and-imparfait-to-express-i-didnt/749724/14 "2016-03-23T14:23:12Z")
> [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#):
>
> I think both work… if you make it clear that it was a wrong assumption by following that sentence with another one that would start with **“Puis soudain, …”** , **“Malheureusement, …”** or **“Mais en fait, …”** or something like that.
>
> As far as I’m concerned, I prefer **Nous n’avons rien vu d’inhabituel, rien n’indiquait (que) des pickpockets (se trouvaient) aux alentours** but the other sentence is correct, too - just a bit less idiomatic for my taste. Note that if you add the words between brackets, you immediately reveal that the assumption was wrong.
Thanks. Les Espaces Du Sommeil. Your explanation helps immensely. Thank you all.