Imperfect of èsser

Level 3

Èri, èras, èra, èrem, èretz, èran: was and were.

How It Works

èsser
ieuèri
tuèras
el, elaèra
nosautresèrem
vosautresèretz
eles, elasèran

The imperfect of èsser sets the scene: Èra tard. Èri content. Èrem a Tolosa. It also gives the English used to be.

Every form begins with è. Without the grave accent, the word is a spelling error.

For a visit that is over, use the compound past instead: Soi estat a Tolosa. The imperfect describes the situation, and the compound past reports what happened.

Compare the present and the imperfect: Soi content (I am happy now) and Èri content (I was happy then).

Examples (5)

  1. Èra tard.

    It was late.

    Èra is the he, she or it form.

  2. Èri content.

    I was happy.

    Èri is the ieu form.

  3. Èrem a Tolosa.

    We were in Toulouse.

    Èrem is the nosautres form.

  4. Maria èra malauta.

    Maria was sick.

    Èra describes how Maria was.

  5. Èretz cansats?

    Were you tired?

    Èretz is the vosautres form.

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping the grave accent.

    Era tard.
    Èra tard.

    Every imperfect form of èsser begins with è.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Imperfect of èsserLevel 3

Learn This First

The imperfect of èsser is the first imperfect learned, built on the present of èsser, so the present of èsser comes first.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

èsser