M’étais (en. Was)

/m‿e.tɛ/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench

verb

Conjugated form of the verb 'être' in the first person singular in the imperfect tense.

When I was young, I often dreamed.

Quand j’étais jeune, je rêvais souvent.

Used to express a past state or condition.

I was wondering where I was at that moment.

Je me demandais où j’étais à ce moment-là.

Indicates a certain continuity of a situation in the past.

I was tired after the long day.

J’étais fatigué après la longue journée.

From the French verb 'être', deriving from Latin 'esse'.

where I was

Indicates a question about the place where one was in the past.

où j'étais

I was in the process of

Expresses an ongoing action in the past.

j’étais en train de

I would have been

Used to express a condition that could have been fulfilled in the past.

j'aurais été

to be

Essential verb in the French language, representing existence or state.

être

being

Present participle of the verb 'être', used to express a state.

étant

was

Simple past of 'être', often used in literary narratives.

fut

To be in a tough spot

I was really in a tough spot when I lost my job.

J’étais vraiment en galère quand j'ai perdu mon travail.

To be in a haze

At that moment, I was in a haze regarding my plans.

À ce moment-là, j’étais dans le flou concernant mes projets.