Passe compose ou passe simple?

It was very necessary to assist them both to put them under obligation to love us, and to facilitate my undertakings and discoveries which, as it seemed, could only be accomplished with their help, and also as this would lead to and prepare their conversion to Christianity.

Passe compose? or Imperfect indicatif?

Merci!

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Permalink Reply by Neil Coffey on April 13, 2012 at 4:05pm

The choice between imperfect and passé composé probably depends on whether you want to imply that the things you mention actually happened or whether you were just reflecting on their possibility.

For example, if I say:

Il était fort nécessaire de les assister...

I don't necessarily imply that I or somebody did assist them in the end, simply that at that particular moment in time it seemed necessary.

Whereas in:

Il a été fort nécessaire de les assister...

I imply that it was necessary to assist them, and so therefore I or somebody did assist them in order to achieve that action.

If you decide for the passé composé in principle, then choice between passé composé and passé simple is more one of style: the passé simple generally conveys a highly literary style.