regagnait

Regagnait is the imperfect tense form of the French verb regagner, meaning to regain, win back, or reclaim. It is used to describe an ongoing or repeated action in the past, or to set background in a narrative.

Regagner comes from the prefix re- attached to gagner (to gain or win). The sense includes reclaiming a physical position, time, energy, status, trust, or favor. In everyday usage, regagner can refer to returning to a previous state or place after a setback, or gradually recovering what was lost.

Conjugation in the imperfect is regular for this group of verbs. The endings are -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient, producing je regagnais, tu regagnais, il regagnait, nous regagnions, vous regagniez, ils regagnaient. The present tense forms are regagne, regagnes, regagne, regagnons, regagnez, regagnent, and the past participle is regagné. The verb belongs to the standard -er verb class with a productive re- prefix that often conveys a sense of reversal or return.

Usage notes include its applicability to both physical and abstract recoveries. Examples: Il regagnait son siège après la réunion. Elle regagnait peu à peu sa confiance après l’échec. On peut aussi regagner le temps perdu en agissant plus efficacement.

See also: regagner, gagner, prefix re- in French verbs. Regagnait is a common, grammatically regular form appropriate for describing past, ongoing restoration of position, state, or resources.