To choose a tense, read the time phrase first and let it set the time frame: past, present or future. Words such as hier, l’année dernière and il y a trois jours point back. Words such as demain, la semaine prochaine and dans deux mois point forward.
This skill opens the past and future meaning module. It appears in writing tasks, in speaking when you answer “Qu’est-ce que tu as fait ?” and in reading questions that ask you to place an event in time.
How do time phrases point to a tense?
A time phrase is a signpost. It does not write the verb for you, but it narrows the choice to one or two forms.
| Time phrase | Time frame | Usual tense |
|---|---|---|
| hier, hier soir, samedi dernier | finished past | passé composé |
| l’année dernière, il y a deux ans | finished past | passé composé |
| quand j’étais petit, autrefois | past habit or background | imparfait |
| aujourd’hui, en ce moment, maintenant | now | présent |
| d’habitude, tous les jours, souvent | repeated action | présent (if now) or imparfait (if past) |
| demain, ce soir, la semaine prochaine | coming up | futur proche or futur simple |
| dans trois jours, l’année prochaine | coming up | futur proche or futur simple |
A three-step routine
- Underline the time phrase in the sentence or question.
- Name the time frame in your head: past, now or future.
- Build the verb for that frame. Passé composé: avoir or être plus the past participle. Futur proche: aller plus an infinitive. Imparfait: the nous form of the present without -ons, plus -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.
Worked example
Put each verb in brackets into the tense that suits the time phrase.
- Hier soir, je (regarder) un film.
- Demain, mon frère (jouer) au football.
- L’année dernière, nous (visiter) Lyon.
- Dans deux semaines, ils (passer) un examen.
- Quand j’étais petit, je (jouer) dehors tous les samedis.
- Il y a trois jours, elle (partir) pour Paris.
Sentence 1. Hier soir is a finished past moment, so the passé composé: j’ai regardé. The verb regarder takes avoir.
Sentence 2. Demain looks forward. The futur proche is quick and clear: va jouer.
Sentence 3. L’année dernière is finished, so nous avons visité.
Sentence 4. Dans deux semaines looks forward: ils vont passer.
Sentence 5. Quand j’étais petit plus tous les samedis is a past habit, so the imparfait: je jouais.
Sentence 6. Il y a trois jours is finished. Partir takes être, and the participle agrees with elle: elle est partie.
The mistake to watch for
A frequent slip is to write the verb in the present because the time phrase is clear enough.
Mistaken answer: Hier, je vais au cinéma avec mes amis.
The student knew hier meant the past but wrote vais, a present form of aller.
The time phrase tells the reader about time, but the verb must say it too. Examiners award marks for the verb form, not for the signpost alone.
Corrected: Hier, je suis allé au cinéma avec mes amis.
After writing a sentence, look back at the time phrase and ask: “Does my verb agree with this?”
Check yourself
1. Complete with the right tense: La semaine dernière, nous (acheter) des livres.
Show answer
La semaine dernière is finished past, so the passé composé: nous avons acheté des livres.
2. Complete: Ce week-end, ma cousine (venir) chez nous.
Show answer
Ce week-end, said before the weekend, looks forward. Futur proche: ma cousine va venir chez nous.
3. What is wrong with Demain, je suis allé au parc? Rewrite it.
Show answer
Demain points to the future but suis allé is past. Rewrite: Demain, je vais aller au parc (or j’irai au parc).
Where this leads next
Once the time phrase sets the frame without effort, move on to contrasting a past event with a background description, then try the integrated practice set. If present forms still feel shaky, revisit the present-time expression module.
Some students find the time-phrase habit easy to explain and hard to apply in a live answer. A teacher in online one-to-one French tuition can listen to you answer and point to the exact moment the tense drifts.