Question 1

How did you form the verb écoutait here?

Accepted Answer

To form the imparfait (imperfect tense), we take the present tense nous form of the verb, drop the -ons, and add the imperfect endings. For écouter (to listen), the nous form is écoutons. We drop the -ons to get the stem écout-. Since the subject here is on, we add the third-person singular ending -ait to make écoutait.

Question 2

Why does the translation say "we used to listen" when the French uses on?

Accepted Answer

In everyday spoken French, on is almost always used instead of nous to mean "we". However, grammatically, on is singular and always takes the same verb conjugation as il and elle (he and she). That's why the verb ends in -ait instead of the nous ending -ions.

Question 3

Could écoutait also translate to "were listening"?

Accepted Answer

Yes! The imparfait is used for both ongoing past actions and repeated, habitual past actions. Depending on the broader context of the story, on écoutait can mean "we used to listen" (a habit every recess) or "we were listening" (setting the scene of what was happening at a specific moment).

Question 4

Why isn't there a word for "to" after écoutait, like in "listen to the bell"?

Accepted Answer

In English, we say we "listen to" something, but in French, the verb écouter already contains the "to". It is a direct verb. You just put the object straight after it without adding a preposition like à or de. So, "listening to the bell" is simply écoutait la cloche.

Pendant la récréation, on écoutait la cloche.

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