Était-elle (en. Was she)

/e.tɛ ɛl/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench

verb

Used to ask a question about a person's state or condition at a past time.

Was she happy with her gift?

Était-elle contente de son cadeau ?

Allows inquiry into a past situation involving a woman.

Was she present at the meeting?

Était-elle présente à la réunion ?

Form used to explore earlier circumstances.

Did he wonder if it was true, or was she the only one who thought so?

Se demandait-il si c'était vrai, ou était-elle la seule à le penser ?

The phrase stems from the verb 'to be', conjugated in the imperfect tense. 'She' is a feminine personal pronoun.

Was she really happy?

Interrogation about a woman's happiness in the past.

Était-elle vraiment heureuse ?

Why did she leave so early?

Question about a woman's early departure.

Pourquoi était-elle partie si tôt ?

Did she know what was happening?

Inquiry about a woman's knowledge of a past situation.

Savait-elle ce qui se passait ?

was

Third person singular of the imperfect tense of the verb 'to be'.

était

she

Feminine personal pronoun referring to a woman or a thing.

elle

State verb that describes the existence or condition of a thing.

être

Checking in on an ex-partner.

You know, for a casual conversation, was she aware of the news?

Tu sais, pour une petite conversation, était-elle au courant des nouvelles ?

Question about the former presence of a friend.

I look at the photos and wonder, was she still there?

J'regarde les photos et me demande, était-elle toujours là ?