morgana🌸

[blazing turtle]

Please be patient

Our volunteers look into many questions every day; sometimes it takes them a little while to answer.

Pro tip: you can rename the thread title with `.tr <thread name>`

Make it descriptive, including relevant context, but also to the point. This way you improve your chances of getting a more relevant and specific answer.

[plush ember]

like i could just specify "mon sommeil a été trop mauvais ces derniers jours" but I'm not sure I need to

[tribal hound]

in this case both tenses work almost equally

[plush ember]

dacodac merci

[tribal hound]

I'm trying to pinpoint a nuance but I can't really find one

[surreal wing]

Hi Morgana ! The passé composé (a été) is correct, but it can sound like a limited or “finished” period.
For “lately,” it’s more natural to add a time phrase (ces derniers jours) or use the present (en ce moment).

And the Imparfait (était) doesn’t work well here, it sounds more like background description in a story. I hope that i could help !

[stark obsidian]

Very often when we’d use present perfect in English, the plain present in French has the closest meaning. After all French doesn’t have a present perfect

[plush ember]

ohh good point
didn't think of that
i don't know what the present perfect is actually has been, I assume

[plush ember]

Thanks :)

[stark obsidian]

present perfect:
have in the present tense + past participle

[plush ember]

ahh thanks :)
is "I have been eaten" considered present perfect or is that just past+passive?

[stark obsidian]

present perfect progressive

[stark obsidian]

oh wait, no that's "I have been eating"