Oh Could someone help me with my French studying? =(

[Double It Z]

I'm confused on the passe compose and the imparfait.

I'm so confused over the imparfait's use of progressive actions....

Il etait dans la rue, QUAND Il a vu un chien.

Something like that^.

But it gets confusing when it says stuff like:

Il etait une fois une jolie jeune fillie qui travaillait comme vendeuse dands un magasin de chaussures. Elle ________ (NE PAS AIMER) pas son patrong parce qu'il etait mechante. Il ____ (Adorer) l'argent, et, lui, il ______ (Gagner) d'argents mais les vendueses qui _____ Travailler.


For all those blanks, apprently, you use Impf'.
I'm so confused why. It like, couldnt you say he LIKED money.
I think that'd be like saying, he LIKED it, but he doesnt anymore, and since theres no indication of that, I guess, its wrong. But its confusing, cause' what would that translate to? He was liking money? He used to like money? ---- I have no clue.
Assistiance?

[inunobaka_chan]

Imparfait is used when there is an habit. it's a fact, she didn't start dislinking her boss, she disliked him for a long time and still dislike him when the story takes place.

The passé composé answer the question "what happened?"
and the imparfait answer the question " What was going on when it happened?"

and it's "patron" and well he is a man so it's "méchant". And you say "de l'argent".

I hope I helped you... smile

[Princeries]

Yes, it's quite complicated to explain it to a foreigner, I understand it's not easy...

Let's take your example : "He liked money".
If you were using the passé composé, "Il a aimé l'argent", that would mean you're talking now of a man who used to like money but he doesn't anymore.
So the correct tense is l'imparfait, "Il aimait l'argent". Because you're telling a story about a man who liked money (during all the time of the story).

Let's take the other example : He saw a dog in the street".
Passé compsé : "Il a vu un chien dans la rue". This means that he saw a dog once, at a given moment (like "this morning", or "when he left his home"...).
Imparfait : "Il voyait un chien dans la rue". This would be used about someone who saw the dog several time, for instance "everyday, he used to see a dog in the street", or "anytime he used to leave school early..."

Is it clearer for you ?

[Double It Z]

Ah Oui, I understand now.


Merci!

[inunobaka_chan]

De rien~