Answers
Apr 22, 2022 - 07:26 AM
The French imparfait is used in several cases that we study in detail all through level 5, mostly to refer to past habits, to things that you "used to" do, but not anymore, or to set the scene, the background of an action when telling a story in the past. In the example you're mentioning we're not in one of these cases. Here we're asking if something that has started in the past is still the case now, so we have to use the passé composé.
One trick to keep in mind is that an English present perfect can never translate a French imparfait, a French imparfait can only translate an English preterit (Was she a vegetarian? - Did she use to be a vegetarian?) or past progressive (Was she eating meat when ...?)
One trick to keep in mind is that an English present perfect can never translate a French imparfait, a French imparfait can only translate an English preterit (Was she a vegetarian? - Did she use to be a vegetarian?) or past progressive (Was she eating meat when ...?)
