what we did last weekend

I like asking about people’s weekend on a Monday or Tuesday to start the lesson. Here is a typical dialogue, can you see what’s wrong with it?

- So, what did you do this weekend, Baudouin?

- I walked

Perfectly correct as far as the grammar is concerned. But to say, “I walked” doesn’t give me the information I was looking for. Me too, I walked. From my bed to the sofa.
Interested? Probably not.

Try this instead:

- so what did you do last weekend, Lancelot?

- I went for a walk in the countryside (je me suis balladé à la compagne)

- I went to a Lebanese restaurant (j’ai mangé au resto)

- I went for a drink with some friends (Je suis allé boire un verre)

- I went for a swim in the sea (je me suis baigné…)

- I went for a ride on my bike (j’ai fait du vélo)

So only one verb is necessary, “I went”. We can use this to describe many activities.
More about this another time

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