If you’re studying French at A level, chances are you’ve had at least one moment where all the verb forms started to blur together. What’s the difference between imparfait and passé composé again? Why does the subjonctif exist? And why does French need so many tenses in the first place?

The good news? You don’t need to memorise endless verb tables in isolation. One of the best ways to master French tenses is to see them in action — and to understand when and why each one is used.

In this post, we’ll break down the main tenses used in spoken French (with clear examples), using the short story Le voyage inattendu as a guide. You’ll also learn how French tuition can help you use tenses more confidently in your speaking and writing.

 

Why Do French Tenses Matter?

 

Tenses help us say when something happens — past, present, future — but they also reveal mood, intention, and relationships between actions. French has more tenses than English, especially in writing, but only a handful are used frequently in spoken conversation.

 

If you’re aiming for a top grade at A level, you’ll need to show a range of tenses naturally and accurately. That means knowing not just the grammar, but how to think in different tenses when you speak or write.

 

Let’s explore some of the most common French tenses and how they were used in Léa’s story.

 

1. Présent – The Present Tense

 

This one’s your base camp. It’s used for current actions, facts, habits, and emotional states.

Léa vit à Lyon depuis toujours.
(Léa has lived in Lyon forever.)

Even though this would be translated as the present perfect in English, French uses the present with depuis to express actions that began in the past and continue now.

 

Key tip: Learn regular and irregular present tense forms of key verbs like avoir, être, faire, aller, and pouvoir. You’ll use them constantly.

 

2. Passé Composé – The Perfect Tense

 

Used to describe completed past actions that move the story forward — the “what happened” tense.

Elle a reçu un message étrange.
(She received a strange message.)

Elle s’est préparée.
(She got ready.)

Notice the use of être for reflexive verbs (se préparer). That’s an extra layer to learn — reflexive and movement verbs often use être as their auxiliary.

 

Key tip: Practise forming the passé composé with both avoir and être. Make sure you understand past participle agreement too.

 

3. Imparfait – The Imperfect Tense

 

This tense paints the background. It’s used for descriptions, repeated past actions, and states of being.

 

Elle prenait un café en terrasse.
(She was having a coffee outside.)

Il l’attendait avec une pancarte.
(He was waiting for her with a sign.)

It’s also useful for storytelling — setting the scene or describing feelings and weather.

Key tip: Try using the imparfait and passé composé together to describe a situation and then what interrupted it. This is a classic A level skill.

 

4. Futur Proche – The Near Future

 

This is the “I’m about to…” or “I’m going to…” tense — it’s very common in everyday French.

Elle allait appeler la police.
(She was going to call the police.)

Tu vas adorer ce film.
(You’re going to love this film.)

It’s formed with aller in the present + infinitive.

 

Key tip: Use it in your speaking exam to talk about future plans or predictions naturally.

 

5. Futur Simple – The Simple Future

 

Used for formal writing, promises, or plans further in the future.

 

Elle vivra quelque chose d’extraordinaire.
(She will experience something extraordinary.)

Tu comprendras plus tard.
(You’ll understand later.)

Key tip: Learn the stems and endings of the futur simple for irregular verbs like être (ser-), avoir (aur-), aller (ir-), and faire (fer-).

 

6. Plus-que-parfait – The Pluperfect

 

This tense describes what had happened before something else. It helps you show sequence and contrast in past events.

Si elle n’avait pas suivi son instinct, elle serait restée à Lyon.
(If she hadn’t followed her instinct, she would have stayed in Lyon.)

Formed with the imparfait of avoir/être + the past participle.

Key tip: Use it to show maturity in your writing. Great for discursive essays and narratives.

 

7. Conditionnel – The Conditional

 

Used to express hypothetical situations, wishes, or polite requests.

Elle serait restée à Lyon.
(She would have stayed in Lyon.)

Je voudrais voyager au Japon.
(I would like to travel to Japan.)

It often appears in “if” sentences (si + imparfait, conditionnel).

 

8. Subjonctif – The Subjunctive Mood

 

This one causes panic — but it doesn’t need to. It’s used when expressing doubt, desire, emotion, or necessity.

Il faut que tu sois attentive.
(You must be attentive.)

Je veux que tu viennes.
(I want you to come.)

 

Key tip: Focus on recognising key trigger phrases: il faut que, bien que, pour que, afin que, je veux que, etc. You don’t need to master every verb, but learn the common ones: être, avoir, faire, aller, pouvoir.

 

How Tuition Can Help You Master French Tenses

 

Understanding French tenses on paper is one thing — using them fluently and confidently is another. That’s where a tutor can really make a difference.

 

Here’s how tuition helps:

 

1. Personalised practice: A tutor can pinpoint which tenses you’re mixing up and give you targeted exercises.

2. Speaking confidence: Practising spoken French in real time helps you feel the difference between tenses — not just translate in your head.

3. Feedback that sticks: Instant correction and explanation helps prevent bad habits forming.

4. Structured revision: A tutor can guide you through past paper questions, storytelling exercises, and essay writing — all with the right tense usage.

 

Whether you’re aiming for an A* or just trying to keep the tenses straight, one-to-one support can turn confusion into clarity.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Mastering French tenses is one of the biggest challenges at A level — but it’s also one of the most rewarding. Tenses are the key to expressing yourself with precision, telling stories, and sounding truly fluent.

 

So next time you read a short story or write a paragraph, notice why a certain tense is being used. Think like a narrator. Switch tenses with purpose.

And remember: French tenses don’t have to be scary. With consistent practice — and perhaps a little tuition — you’ll soon be using them like a native.