Language/French/Grammar/"J'ai-eu"-or-"j'avais"

Understanding "J'ai eu" and "J'avais" in French

Hello French learners! 😃

Today, we delve into a complex aspect of French language learning: the difference between "J'ai eu" (Passé Composé tense) and "J'avais" (Imparfait tense). Even native French speakers occasionally confuse these two tenses.

In French, employing the correct past tense is vital when discussing past events and experiences. We will concentrate on distinguishing between the frequently used past tense forms: "j'ai eu" and "j'avais". These expressions capture different facets of the past, and it's essential to grasp their differences to apply them appropriately. After this lesson, you should clearly comprehend when and how to use each form and be capable of using them accurately in written and spoken French. Whether you're a French beginner or looking to polish your grammar skills, this lesson offers the tools you need to excel in French past tense usage.

Summary

Let's briefly recap the key differences:

General Rule: Passé Composé Tense - "J'ai eu": Represents a single or short-lived action. Imparfait Tense - "J'avais": Represents an action or situation that extended over a period or was habitual, but is now over. Examples: J'ai eu un accident de voiture quand j'avais mon appartement à Paris. J'avais 20 ans quand j'ai eu ma première voiture.

The primary distinction lies in the duration of the action or event. Consider the past as a long timeline where events or actions occur, or you hear something, and so on.

On this timeline:

IMPARFAIT (j'avais)

• The "general context" exists continuously. For example, you were someone, had a specific occupation, were in a relationship with someone, etc., in the past (let's say two years ago and for some duration) - this represents the broader context of your life at the time. This is where the imparfait tense (j'avais) comes into play.

PASSÉ COMPOSÉ (j'ai eu)

• Specific and momentary events also occur on this timeline, represented as crosses or similar markers. For example, winning a contest (on a particular date), passing your exams (a specific year), having an accident, meeting someone (specific time and place) - these instances employ the passé composé tense (j'ai eu).

Examples

• En 2013, je n'avais encore que deux enfants. J'ai eu mon troisième enfant en 2014. (Mon troisième enfant est né en 2014.) J'ai trois enfants.
• En 2012, j'étais étudiante. J'ai obtenu mon diplôme au mois de juin 2012.

At times, you can make a comparison between the present perfect and passé composé, but be cautious - this is not a common occurrence!

Take for example:

• "J'ai étudié l'histoire." (this suggests that your past experience of studying history has contributed to your current knowledge)

• However, this sentence is also correct: "J'étudiais l'histoire [cette année-là]"... (here you're merely discussing your past activity)

Keep in mind that these rules apply even when talking about the recent past. The key is to maintain the same concept of a continuous timeline punctuated by specific events:

• Hier, j'étais au restaurant quand tu m'as téléphoné.

• Ce matin, j'étais encore au lit quand le facteur a sonné.

Remember, the deciding factor isn't the length of time between the event and now; it's about the nature of the activity or what you want to convey about it. For example, are you stating that you used to study something years ago, or that you've studied something, therefore you're knowledgeable about it now?

• Il y a une heure, j'étais au travail.

• Il y a une heure, je me suis endormi au travail.

⇨ "Il y a une heure" isn't the deciding factor itself.

I hope this lesson clarifies the use of "J'ai eu" and "J'avais" in French!

Source

https://polyglotclub.com/language/french/question/15117