Descendait

Descendait is the imperfect indicative form of the French verb "descendre." This verb translates to "to descend," "to go down," "to come down," or "to get off." The imperfect tense in French is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, as well as states of being or descriptions in the past. Therefore, "descendait" specifically refers to an action of descending that was happening, repeated, or descriptive in the past.

For example, "Le soleil descendait" would mean "The sun was setting" or "The sun was going down." This implies a continuous process rather than a single, completed event. Another example could be "Elle descendait les escaliers tous les matins" which translates to "She used to go down the stairs every morning." Here, "descendait" indicates a habitual action in the past. The context of the sentence is crucial for understanding the precise meaning of "descendait." It can apply to physical movement, such as descending a staircase or a mountain, or to figurative movement, such as a decline in status or price. The imperfect tense emphasizes the duration or continuity of the action in the past.