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    N'était (en. Wasn't)

    /ne ɛtɛ/

    Meaning & Definition

    EnglishFrench
    verb
    indicates an absence of state or action in the past
    He wasn't there yesterday.
    Il n'était pas là hier.
    expresses a negative state of being
    It wouldn’t be the same if she weren’t present.
    Ce ne serait pas la même chose si elle n'était pas présente.
    used to describe an unrealized past condition
    If she weren't so busy, she would come.
    Si elle n'était pas si occupée, elle viendrait.

    Etymology

    Contraction of 'ne' and 'était', derived from the verb 'être'.

    Common Phrases and Expressions

    it was out of the question to
    it was not conceivable
    il n'était pas question de
    I wasn't even aware
    I didn't even have the information
    je n'étais même pas au courant
    if she wasn't there
    if her presence was not effective
    si elle n'était pas là

    Related Words

    to be
    verb meaning to exist or have an identity
    être
    state
    situation or condition of a person or thing
    état
    imperfect
    verb tense used to describe incomplete or repeated past actions
    imparfait

    Slang Meanings

    to stay hidden
    He was so shy, he was never present.
    Il était tellement timide, il n'était jamais présent.
    not to take risks
    She never goes out. She wasn't ready to take the plunge.
    Elle ne sort jamais. Elle n'était pas prête à se lancer.