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What Does ‘Used To’ Mean?

Used to helps us describe things that happened regularly or were true for a long time in the past, but stopped happening or are no longer true now.

• It shows a contrast between the past and the present.
• Think of it as saying “in the past, this was normal, but not anymore.”

Par exemple :

• “I used to play football every weekend.” (I played football regularly in the past, but I don’t now.)
• “There used to be a cinema on this street.” (A cinema was here in the past, but it isn’t here now.)

How Do We Form 'Used To'?

The structure for used to is straightforward. It always uses the base form of the verb (the infinitive without 'to').

Positive Sentences (+)

• Subject + used to + base form of verb.
• Exemple : "She used to have long hair."

Negative Sentences (-)

• Subject + didn't use to + base form of verb.
• Notice that used changes to use because did is already in the past.
• Exemple : "They didn't use to like spicy food."

Questions (?)

• Did + subject + use to + base form of verb?
• Again, used changes to use.
• Exemple : "Did you use to live near the beach?"

Is There a Present Form of 'Used To'?

No, there is no present form of used to. We only use it to talk about the past.

• To talk about present habits, we use the Present Simple.
• For example, you say "I usually walk to work" (Present Simple), NOT "I use to walk to work."

When to Use 'Used To' vs. The Past Simple?

Les deux used to and the Past Simple can describe past actions, but they have a slightly different focus:

• Utilisation used to for:
  • Habits or repeated actions that no longer happen.
  • States that were true in the past but are not true now (e.g., "I used to be shy.").
  • It strongly emphasizes the change from past to present.
• Use the Past Simple for:
  • Single actions in the past.
  • Actions that happened over a period of time, especially when you specify the time (e.g., "I lived in Paris for five years.").
  • General facts or events in the past, without necessarily implying a change to the present.

You can often use the Past Simple for past habits if you include time expressions like "every day" ou "when I was young." However, used to makes the change clearer.

Forms of 'Used To'

Type	Structure	Exemple
Positive	Subject + used to + base verb	I used to play.
Negative	Subject + didn't use to + base verb	You didn't use to like it.
Question	Did + subject + use to + base verb?	Did she use to work there?

Exemples

• My grandmother used to tell me stories every night.
• He didn't use to eat vegetables, but now he loves them.
• Did you use to play a musical instrument when you were a child?
• There used to be a lot of trees here, but they cut them down.
• We used to go camping every summer before we had kids.

Entraînement

Erreurs courantes chez les hispanophones

Les hispanophones commettent parfois les erreurs suivantes :

• Using used to for present habits:
  Incorrect : "I use to go to the gym every morning."
  Correct : "I go to the gym every morning." (Use Present Simple for present habits).
• Using did used to in questions or negatives:
  Incorrect : "Did you used to like pizza?"
  Correct : "Did you use to like pizza?" (The 'd' from used is removed because did already shows the past).
• Confusing used to with be used to ou get used to:
  Used to (our topic) is for past habits. Be used to means 'be accustomed to' (e.g., "I am used to the cold weather."). Get used to means 'become accustomed to' (e.g., "I'm getting used to living alone."). These are different grammar points!

Questions fréquemment posées

What is the main purpose of 'used to'?

The main purpose of used to is to talk about habits or situations that were true in the past but are no longer true in the present. It highlights a change over time.

Can I use 'used to' for a single event in the past?

Non, vous ne pouvez pas utiliser used to for a single event. It is specifically for repeated actions or states that lasted for some time. For single past events, use the Past Simple.

How do I form negative sentences and questions with 'used to'?

For negative sentences, use didn't use to + base form (par exemple, "I didn't use to like coffee."). For questions, use Did + subject + use to + base form (par exemple, "Did you use to live here?"). Remember to use use (without 'd') after did ou didn't.

What is the difference between 'used to' and the Past Simple for past habits?

While both can describe past habits, used to specifically emphasizes that the habit or state has stopped or changed. The Past Simple can describe past habits, especially with time expressions, but it doesn't always carry the same strong implication of a present change.