French grammar
J'étais, c'était, il y avait
Describe how things were.
From the scene J'étais fatiguée (I was tired)
In short
Describe the past (feelings, scenes, what was going on) with the imparfait: j'étais, c'était, il y avait.
- I was tired j'étais fatiguée
- it was the bar c'était le bar
- there was noise il y avait du bruit
- I was watching je regardais
Your turn
Which one goes with it was the bar?
Options: c'était le bar · j'étais fatiguée · il y avait du bruit
Show answer
it was the bar → c'était le bar
How it works
For describing the past (how someone felt, what something was like, what was going on) French uses the imparfait.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Ah bon ? Qu'est-ce qui se (blank) ?
Clue: what was going on
Options: passe · passera · passait
Show answer
Ah bon ? Qu'est-ce qui se passait ?
How come? What was going on?
Good to know
J'étais fatiguée (I was tired), c'était le bar (it was the bar), il y avait du bruit (there was noise).
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
(blank) le nouveau bar d'en bas.
Clue: it was (saying what it was)
Options: C'est · Il était · C'était
Show answer
C'était le nouveau bar d'en bas.
It was the new bar downstairs.
I was tired j'étais fatiguée
it was the bar c'était le bar
Your turn
What goes with c'était le bar?
Options: I was tired · there was noise · it was the bar
Show answer
c'était le bar → it was the bar
there was noise il y avait du bruit
Nuria
Il y avait du bruit dans la rue.
There was noise in the street.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) dans la rue.
Options: C'était le bar · Il y avait du bruit · J'étais fatiguée
Show answer
Nuria
Il y avait du bruit dans la rue.
There was noise in the street.
I was watching je regardais
Elena
Moi, j'étais réveillée. Je regardais par la fenêtre.
I was awake watching from the window.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Moi, j'étais réveillée. (blank) par la fenêtre.
Options: J'étais fatiguée · C'était le bar · Je regardais
Show answer
Elena
Moi, j'étais réveillée. Je regardais par la fenêtre.
I was awake watching from the window.
Common mistake
Not suis or avais here. I was (how I felt).
Pardon, Madame Elena. J'étais très fatiguée.
Sorry, Madame Elena. I was very tired.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| I was tired | j'étais fatiguée |
|---|---|
| it was the bar | c'était le bar |
| there was noise | il y avait du bruit |
| I was watching | je regardais |
More lines from the story
- NuriaPardon, Madame Elena. J'étais très fatiguée.Sorry, Madame Elena. I was very tired.
- ElenaAh bon ? Qu'est-ce qui se passait ?How come? What was going on?
- NuriaC'était le nouveau bar d'en bas.It was the new bar downstairs.
- NuriaJe ne pouvais pas dormir. Il était déjà très tard.I couldn't sleep. It was already very late.