Mes parents ont toujours été là pour moi. Can you help me understand why PC was used and not Imparfait? To me, it seems like a statement of actions that were ongoing or repeated in the past over an undefined period. Merci pour vos conseils !
Passê Composé vs Imparfait
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Bonjour White,
Jim is correct! The action started in the past and it is enduring with the adverb 'toujours' that gives a sense of something that was and still is true. When combined with 'toujours', Le Passé Composé conveys a fact that was and is still true and will be most likely true in the future.
See previous answer to a similar question: j'ai TOUJOURS voulu reprendre des leçons
I hope this is helpful.
Bonne journée !
Jim Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Hi White,
"Have been" __ completed and enduring -- not transient
It is not a past action -- but current - a fact in the mind of the speaker.
This is how I see it -- hope it helps
Jim
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