How to Contrast Perfect Compus and Imperfect Tenses in Romanian for English Speakers

Understanding the Perfect Compus and Imperfect Tenses in Romanian

When learning Romanian, two important past tenses to master are the Perfect Compus and the Imperfect. Both describe actions in the past, but they are used in different contexts and convey different meanings. This article will help English speakers understand how to contrast these tenses effectively.

What is the Perfect Compus?

The Perfect Compus is the most commonly used past tense in spoken Romanian. It describes actions that have been completed in the past and are often seen as finished or punctual events. It is formed using the auxiliary verb "a avea" (to have) in the present tense plus the past participle of the main verb.

For example:
Am mâncat – I ate / I have eaten.

What is the Imperfect?

The Imperfect tense describes past actions that were ongoing, habitual, repeated, or background events. It sets the scene or describes what was happening over a period of time in the past. The Imperfect is formed by adding specific endings to the verb stem.

For example:
Mâncam – I was eating / I used to eat.

Key Differences Between Perfect Compus and Imperfect

• Perfect Compus indicates completed actions; Imperfect indicates ongoing or habitual past actions.
• Perfect Compus is used for specific events; Imperfect sets the scene or describes background.
• Perfect Compus often answers 'What happened?'; Imperfect answers 'What was happening?' or 'What used to happen?'.
• Perfect Compus is more common in spoken Romanian; Imperfect is often used in storytelling or descriptions.

Examples to Illustrate the Contrast

Consider the verb a citi (to read):

• Am citit o carte. – I read a book (completed action).
• Citeam o carte când ai sunat. – I was reading a book when you called (ongoing past action).

In the second sentence, the Imperfect citeam describes an action in progress in the past, while the Perfect Compus ai sunat describes a completed action that interrupts the ongoing one.

Forming the Perfect Compus

The Perfect Compus is formed with the present tense of a avea plus the past participle of the main verb. For example:

• Eu am vorbit – I spoke / I have spoken
• Tu ai mers – You went
• El/Ea a făcut – He/She did

Forming the Imperfect

The Imperfect is formed by adding specific endings to the verb stem. For example, for the verb a vorbi (to speak):

• Eu vorbeam – I was speaking
• Tu vorbeai – You were speaking
• El/Ea vorbea – He/She was speaking

Tips for English Speakers Learning These Tenses

• Think of the Perfect Compus as the Romanian equivalent of the English simple past or present perfect.
• Use the Imperfect to describe what was happening or used to happen in the past.
• Listen to native speakers to get a feel for when each tense is used.
• Practice by telling stories or describing past routines using both tenses.