Dépendait

Dépendait is a French verb, the imperfect indicative form of the verb dépendre, meaning "to depend". The imperfect tense in French is used to describe ongoing actions, habitual actions, or states of being in the past. Therefore, "dépendait" translates to "depended" or "was depending" in English. It indicates a past state or action that was continuous or habitual at a particular time.

For example, one might say "Il dépendait de ses parents pour son logement" which translates to "He depended on his parents for his housing." This sentence describes a past situation that was ongoing. Another example could be "La météo dépendait des saisons" meaning "The weather depended on the seasons." This highlights a habitual or general truth in the past. The conjugation of dépendre varies based on the subject, but "dépendait" is used with third-person singular subjects (il, elle, on). When referring to multiple subjects, the imperfect form would be "dépendais" (nous), "dépendiez" (vous), or "dépendaient" (ils, elles). Understanding the imperfect tense is crucial for accurately interpreting the meaning of "dépendait" in French sentences, as it conveys a sense of past continuity or background information.