Use

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Revision as of 17:15, 5 January 2014 by WikiSysop (talk | contribs) (clitic /ju:stə/)
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brouillon

Verb

morphology

  • regular verb in the present and the past, as a clitic (used-to-V), the past tense marker -d is pronounced "t" by assimilation.

clitic /ju:stə/

  • ju:stə V
  • dɪdntju:stə V

semantics

used to V is translated with the imperfect in French. It is a nostalgic tense marker, it recalls the way things once were.

  • When I was a kid, I used to ride my bike every day.
  • We used to live in Bourg.
  • I used to know him well, but it's been a long time since I've seen him.
  • I used to believe in Santa Claus when I was a kid.

It can precede both state verbs (know, think) and action verbs (run, walk) -- unlike "would", which implies a series of events, not states: (* = incorrect)

  • When I was a kid, I would ride my bike every day.
  • *We would live in Bourg. (future in the past = OK, but nostalgic imperfect = njet)
  • *I would know him well, but it's been a long time since I've seen him. (concession = OK, but nostalgic imperfect = njet)
  • *I would believe in Santa Claus, when I was a kid.


==lexical verb