était

Etait is the imperfect indicative form of the verb être in French, used with the subjects il, elle, or on. In the full imperfect paradigm, the forms are j'étais, tu étais, il/elle était, nous étions, vous étiez, ils/elles étaient. The accent on é is required for correct spelling.

Usage and meaning: Etait expresses ongoing or habitual past states, descriptions, or background information rather than a completed past event. It is commonly used to set the scene in narration, to describe weather, age, time, or physical or mental states, and to recount repeated past actions. In contrast to the passé composé, which marks specific completed actions, the imparfait conveys duration or repetition. Phrases such as “Il était tard,” “Il était une fois,” or “Quand nous étions jeunes, nous allions à la plage chaque été” illustrate typical uses.

Examples:

- Il était fatigué après le voyage. (He was tired after the trip.)

- Quand nous étions enfants, nous allions à la plage chaque été. (When we were kids, we used to go to the beach every summer.)

Etymology and related forms: Etait derives from the verb être, ultimately from Latin esse. Its imperfect form is related to the Latin imperfect form erat. In French, the form evolved through Old French forms such as estoit before settling on the modern etait.

In summary, etait is a fundamental tool for describing past contexts, states, and routines, playing a central role in narrative and descriptive French.