Regular verbs in the imperfect tense in French

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Regular verbs in the imperfect tense

To form the imperfect, use the root from the NOUS form in the present tense and then add the endings -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient, in the following manner: nous chantons → chant-, we sing→ sang; nous nous appelons → appel-, we are called→ called; nous finissons → finiss-, we finish → finished; nous buvons → buv-, we drink → drank; nous croyons → croy-, we believe → believed; etc.
chanter en
Je chantais
Tu chantais
Il chantait/elle chantait
Nous chantions
Vous chantiez
Ils chantaient/elles chantaient
finir en
Je finissais
Tu finissais
Il finissait/elle finissait
Nous finissions
Vous finissiez
Ils finissaient/elles finissaient
boire en
Je buvais
Tu buvais
Il buvait/elle buvait
Nous buvions
Vous buviez
Ils buvaient/elles buvaient
croire en
Je croyais
Tu croyais
Il croyait/elle croyait
Nous croyions
Vous croyiez
Ils croyaient/elles croyaient

En 1860, Victor habitait à Guernesey avec sa famille. In 1860, Victor was living in Guernesey with his family.
Note the irregularities in verbs ending in -CER and -GER: je plaçais/nous placions (I put/we put); je mangeais/nous mangions ( I ate/we ate).

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