Achetaient

Achetaient is the imperfect indicative third-person plural form of the French verb acheter, which means "to buy." In French grammar, the imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, as well as to set the scene for a past event. Therefore, "achetaient" translates to "they were buying" or "they used to buy."

For example, in the sentence "Les enfants achetaient des bonbons chaque samedi," the verb "achetaient" indicates a repeated action in the past: "The children used to buy candies every Saturday." Alternatively, in the sentence "Pendant que les adultes achetaient des souvenirs, les enfants jouaient au parc," "achetaient" describes an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past: "While the adults were buying souvenirs, the children were playing in the park."

Understanding the imperfect tense is crucial for accurate translation and comprehension of French narratives. "Achetaient" specifically conveys a sense of past continuity or a descriptive element within a past context.