cétait

C'était is a standard French expression formed by the demonstrative ce and the imperfect of the verb être, était. The correct, widely used spelling in formal writing is C'était, with an apostrophe indicating elision. The form Cétait (without the apostrophe) is generally considered a misspelling or stylistic variant and is not standard in formal contexts.

In usage, C'était describes a past state, condition, or setting and is often used to frame a scene, reminisce, or set a narrative tone. It translates as “it was” and is commonly employed to describe ongoing or background circumstances, as opposed to the passé composé Ce fut, which marks a completed, punctual event. The choice between these forms can subtly affect how a past moment is perceived—as descriptive background versus a definite moment in time.

Culturally, the phrase appears frequently in French literature, cinema, and music to evoke memory or nostalgia. It can initiate a sentence, accompany a reflection, or feature in titles and headlines to signal reminiscence. Phrases built around it, such as C'était la vie or similar nostalgic lines, are part of everyday French usage and illustrate how the imperfect provides a reflective mood.

Overall, C'était is a common, versatile tool in French for describing past states and moods. Its proper spelling is with the apostrophe, and its function in prose and dialogue is to convey a sense of time past and the speaker’s relation to that past.