Telling a Story in the Past
Use the imperfect for the scene and the simple past for each new event: Èra nuèch quand arribèt.
How It Works
| Tense | Its job | Example |
|---|---|---|
| imperfect | the scene: time, weather, feelings | Èra nuèch. Fasiá fred. |
| simple past | each event, in order | Joan obriguèt la pòrta e dintrèt. |
Think of a film. The imperfect is the background, and the simple past is the action. One sentence can hold both: Fasiá fred quand sortiguèri (It was cold when I went out).
Events in the simple past follow each other in order. Joan obriguèt la pòrta e dintrèt names two steps, and the second comes after the first.
The imperfect can also give the state of mind behind an event: Maria aviá paur e tornèt a l'ostal (Maria was afraid and went back home).
Examples (4)
- Èra nuèch quand arribèt.
It was night when he arrived.
Èra sets the scene, and arribèt is the event.
- Fasiá fred quand sortiguèri.
It was cold when I went out.
Fasiá gives the weather, and sortiguèri gives the event.
- Joan obriguèt la pòrta e dintrèt.
Joan opened the door and went in.
Two events in order, both in the simple past.
- Maria aviá paur e tornèt a l'ostal.
Maria was afraid and went back home.
Aviá gives her state, and tornèt gives what she did.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Telling a story combines the simple past, the imperfect and the forms of more than one verb group, so the contrast between the pasts and the -ir simple past come first.
- Simple Past or Compound Past
Know when to use the simple past and when the compound past, because a story keeps to the simple past: Joan obriguèt la pòrta e dintrèt.
Level 4 - Simple Past of -ir Verbs
Know the simple past of -ir verbs, because stories use all the verb groups: Joan obriguèt la pòrta.
Level 4
Related Patterns
Practice Telling a Story in the Past in Bubblegum
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