When do you use the compound past or the imperfect tense in French?

The compound past is used for actions that are completed and have no further relevance at present. For example, "J’ai fini mes devoirs."  

On the other hand, the imperfect tense is used for ongoing actions in the past without an ending, or something that you used to do regularly. For example, "Je faisais mes devoirs."

Answered by Louise B. French tutor

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