Why is it used "c'etait" with a meaning of passé composé ? I.e. "C'etait une belle soirée " Thanks!

Máximo A.B1Kwiziq community member

Why is it used "c'etait" with a meaning of passé composé ? I.e. "C'etait une belle soirée " Thanks!

Asked 8 years ago
LauraKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Bonjour Máximo,

The verb être does not have distinct imperfect vs passé composé meanings like many other verbs do - ça a été and c'était are both normally equivalent to "was/were."

This is also the case for avoir, which is normally just "had" in English.

In comparison, action verbs like aller do have different translations: je suis allé - I went vs j'allais - I was going.

massy s.B2Kwiziq community member
Because the "soirée" is finished and they are probably saying good by to their host; The meaning is not "passé composé" , since the "soirée" is over:
Máximo A.B1Kwiziq community member
Thank you massy but in my opinion "c'etait" is conjugated " à l'imparfait" and the meaning does not correspond to that tense theoretically. Thanks again!
Máximo A.B1Kwiziq community member
Muchas gracias Laura!! Merci bien!!
Deborah R.A1Kwiziq community member
Because it was lasted for a while, and was incomplete.
joseph t.B1Kwiziq community member
Because the phrase is descriptive, thus imperfect.

Why is it used "c'etait" with a meaning of passé composé ? I.e. "C'etait une belle soirée " Thanks!

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