Learn French: Autrefois, j'adorais la récréation. - In the past, I used to love recess.

Autrefois, j'adorais la récréation.

In the past, I used to love recess.

Breakdown of Autrefois, j'adorais la récréation.

Questions & Answers about Autrefois, j'adorais la récréation.

How exactly do we form adorais for the je form?

To form the imperfect tense, start with the present tense nous form of the verb. For adorer, that is nous adorons. Drop the -ons to get the stem (ador-) and add the imperfect ending for je, which is -ais. This gives you j'adorais.

Why is j'adorais translated as "I used to love" rather than just "I loved"?

The imperfect tense describes ongoing states, repeated habits, or background situations in the past. Translating it as "used to love" perfectly captures that this was a continuous feeling over a period of time back in your school days, rather than a single completed action.

Does the word autrefois usually go with the imperfect tense?

Yes! Autrefois means "in the past", "formerly", or "back in the day". Because it naturally describes a past era or sets up a nostalgic context, it is a classic trigger word for the imperfect tense.

Is la récréation a false friend to the English word "recreation"?

It is! While they look similar, in a school context la récréation specifically means "recess" or "break time". French speakers actually often shorten it to just la récré. For general hobbies or free-time activities, you would use a word like les loisirs instead.