C'etait (en. It was)

/se.tɛ/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench
verb
Expresses a reality, state, or situation in the past.
It was a beautiful summer day.
C'était une belle journée d'été.
Used to report past information.
It was important to tell you.
C'était important de te le dire.
Indicates a lived experience in the past.
It was an unforgettable experience.
C'était une expérience inoubliable.

Etymology

It is a contraction of 'ce' and 'était', coming from the verb 'être'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

It was better before
Expresses a feeling of nostalgia for the past.
C'était mieux avant
It was so good
Indicates that something was pleasant or tasty.
C'était si bon
It was incredible
Expresses astonishment about a past experience.
C'était incroyable

Related Words

was
Third person singular of the imperfect tense of the verb 'être'.
était
it is
Form of the verb 'être' in the present, meaning 'it is'.
c'est
to be
Verb that means 'to be' in French.
étre

Slang Meanings

It was intense
It was intense that night, we had a great time.
C'était chaud ce soir-là, on a bien rigolé.
It was crazy
The concert? It was crazy!
Le concert ? C'était de la folie !