French · Chapter 9 · Lesson 8 · Grammar primer
The imparfait
Stem from the nous form, endings -ais / -ais / -ait / -ions / -iez / -aient. Only one irregular stem (etre -> et-). For habitual, ongoing, and background past.
The short version
One irregular stem in the whole language
Take the nous form of the present, drop -ons, add -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient. That is the imparfait, and only être breaks it, with ét-. Avoir, faire and prendre look like they should be irregular and are not: nous avons gives avais, nous faisons gives faisais.
Quand j'étais petit, je jouais au foot.
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