Rêvions

Rêvions is the imperfect indicative form of the French verb rêver (to dream) for the subject nous. It translates as “we dreamed” or “we were dreaming” and is used to describe a past action or ongoing state of dreaming without signaling a definite completion. As the verb rêver is regular -er verb, its imperfect forms follow standard endings.

Conjugation and form. The imperfect indicative endings for regular -er verbs are -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient. Therefore, nous rêvions is the form used for “we … dreamed.” The other present imperfect forms are je rêvais, tu rêvais, il rêvait, vous rêviez, ils rêvaient. This tense is commonly employed to set scenes in narratives, to depict habitual past actions, or to evoke memories and nostalgia.

Usage and context. In literary and narrative French, rêvions often appears to describe collective dreaming or shared aspirations in the past. It can convey mood, atmosphere, or unfulfilled desires, and it frequently appears in descriptive passages or reflective dialogue. While the passé composé is common in spoken French for past events, the imparfait, including rêvions, remains a staple for background information, settings, and ongoing states in writing.

Examples. “Nous rêvions d’un monde meilleur.” (“We dreamed of a better world.”) “Pendant le voyage, nous rêvions souvent d’évasions imaginaires.” (“During the trip, we often dreamed of imaginary escapes.”) In everyday speech, this form is less common than the passé composé, but it remains essential for narrative nuance and stylistic expression.