In French, passé composé and imparfait are two different past tenses, each serving a specific purpose. Here’s a brief explanation of the differences between passé composé and imparfait:

1. Passé Composé:
   • Formation: Composed of a helping verb (either “avoir” or “être” conjugated in the present tense) + past participle of the main verb.
   • Usage:
     • Used for specific actions or events that occurred and were completed in the past.
     • It often represents the main action or event in a sequence of actions.
     • Used for actions with a clear endpoint.
   Example: J’ai mangé une pomme. (I ate an apple.)
2. Imparfait:
   • Formation: Regular verbs: stem of the verb + imparfait endings. Irregular verbs often have specific stems.
   • Usage:
     • Used for ongoing, habitual, repeated actions in the past.
     • Describes the background or setting of a story.
     • Expresses states of being, feelings, or conditions in the past.
     • Often used for simultaneous actions or events.
   Examples:
   • Quand j’étais jeune, je jouais au tennis tous les jours. (When I was young, I used to play tennis every day.)
   • Il faisait beau, et les oiseaux chantaient. (The weather was nice, and the birds were singing.)

In summary, passé composé is used for specific and completed actions in the past, while imparfait is used for ongoing actions, background information, or habitual actions in the past. They are often used together to provide a more nuanced description of past events.