"Elle portait un chapeau rouge."

Translation:She was wearing a red hat.

March 31, 2018

10 Comments
This discussion is locked.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Dr.Foran01

Why not "used to wear" instead of "was wearing"? Duolingo seems capricious in its preferences.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/n6zs

There are several viable answers for this exercise. Only one of them is shown as the featured answer. The others are accepted. There is nothing capricious about it. The simple preterit is less likely here. The imperfect fits better to describe the situation.

  • She was wearing a red hat
  • She used to wear a red hat
  • She wore a red hat

https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Asimmons1941

Why not also, She would wear a red hat? Habitual action would require the imperfect past, no?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/n6zs

That answer is also accepted but not every acceptable answer is going to be featured. Please take this into account when presented with sliding word tiles around. There are other viable answers.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Bee325445

In the listening exercises, is there an audible difference between "Elle portait un chapeau rouge" and "Elles portaient un chapeau rouge"? Furthermore, is it correct that in French "Elles portaient un chapeau rouge" can actually be understood to mean "They used to wear red hats".


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Tannnis

How do you say "She was carrying a red hat"? Do you have to add "a la main" or something to clarify?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/le-petit-singe

"She wore a red hat" isn't accepted.

Without any context, I feel this should be marked as correct.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/n6zs

It's true that your answer also works, but consider the different possibilities between Imparfait and Passé composé. This explanation is the best one I have ever found: https://languagecenter.cla.umn.edu/lc/FrenchSite1022/FirstVERBS.html


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/cricri811231

what are the differences meanings for the uses ; would, used to, was ( were ) ing verbe

are it interchangeable ?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/GScottOliver

Was it a…raspberry beret?

Learn French in just 5 minutes a day. For free.