Étais (en. Was)

/e.te/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench

verb

Indicates a state or condition in the past.

I was tired after the long workday.

J'étais fatigué après la longue journée de travail.

Used to express a habitual or repeated situation in the past.

When I was a child, I often played in the park.

Quand j'étais enfant, je jouais souvent au parc.

Highlights a past identity or role.

At school, I was a good student.

À l'école, j'étais un bon élève.

From Latin 'erat,' a form of the verb 'esse' which means 'to be.'

I was there

I was present at that place.

j'étais là

if I were rich

Expresses a wish or a hypothetical condition.

si j'étais riche

where were you?

Used to ask where someone was.

tu étais où ?

I did not agree

Indicates past disagreement.

je n'étais pas d'accord

to be

A verb that means 'to exist' or 'to have a certain identity.'

être

state

A condition or situation in which someone or something is found.

état

was

Form of 'to be' in the 3rd person singular of the imperfect tense.

était

Casual expression to evoke a past state.

Back then, I was always going out.

À l'époque, j'étais toujours en train de sortir.