hésitait

Hésitait is the imperfect indicative form of the French verb hésiter. This tense, the imparfait, is used to describe ongoing actions, habits, or states of being in the past. Therefore, "hésitait" translates to "was hesitating," "used to hesitate," or "hesitated" in a continuous or habitual sense, depending on the context.

When someone hesitates, they are pausing or wavering before acting or speaking. This can be due to indecision, uncertainty, fear, or a need to consider alternatives. The verb "hésiter" encompasses a range of these feelings. For instance, a sentence like "Il hésitait à accepter l'offre" means "He was hesitating to accept the offer," implying a period of consideration or doubt before making a decision. Similarly, "Elle hésitait souvent avant de parler en public" conveys that she "used to hesitate often before speaking in public," indicating a recurring behavior in the past.

The imperfect tense highlights the duration or repeated nature of the hesitation, distinguishing it from the passé simple, which would describe a single, completed act of hesitation. Understanding the nuances of "hésitait" requires considering the surrounding narrative and the intended meaning of the past action.