French grammar
Nous étions en train de + infinitif
Say what you were doing when someone interrupted.
From the scene Nous étions en train d'attendre (We were waiting)
In short
We were doing it: on + imparfait (on attendait) or on était en train de. On takes the il form.
Your turn
Which one goes with we'd been keeping watch since midnight?
Options: on surveillait depuis minuit · on attendait le voleur · on était en train de manger
Show answer
we'd been keeping watch since midnight → on surveillait depuis minuit
How it works
For "we were doing something", use on était (or nous étions) + en train de + infinitive, or simply the imparfait.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Et toi, (blank) en train de faire jusqu'à maintenant ?
Clue: you (Javi)
Options: qu'étais-tu · qu'es-tu · qu'était-tu
Show answer
Et toi, qu'étais-tu en train de faire jusqu'à maintenant ?
And you, what were you doing until now?
Good to know
On était en train de manger, on surveillait. The action that interrupts it goes in the passé composé: …et tu es arrivé.
we were waiting for the thief on attendait le voleur
Nuria
Javi ? On attendait le voleur, et toi, tu es arrivé !
Javi? We were waiting for the thief and you turned up!
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Javi ? (blank), et toi, tu es arrivé !
Options: On attendait le voleur · On surveillait depuis minuit · On était en train de manger
Show answer
Nuria
Javi ? On attendait le voleur, et toi, tu es arrivé !
Javi? We were waiting for the thief and you turned up!
we'd been keeping watch since midnight on surveillait depuis minuit
Your turn
What goes with on surveillait depuis minuit?
Options: we were waiting for the thief · we were eating · we'd been keeping watch since midnight
Show answer
on surveillait depuis minuit → we'd been keeping watch since midnight
we were eating on était en train de manger
Nuria
On était en train de manger des churros. Tu en veux un ?
And we were eating churros. Do you want one?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) des churros. Tu en veux un ?
Options: On attendait le voleur · On surveillait depuis minuit · On était en train de manger
Show answer
Nuria
On était en train de manger des churros. Tu en veux un ?
And we were eating churros. Do you want one?
what were you doing? qu'est-ce que tu étais en train de faire ?
Your turn
What goes with qu'est-ce que tu étais en train de faire ??
Options: we were waiting for the thief · we'd been keeping watch since midnight · what were you doing?
Show answer
qu'est-ce que tu étais en train de faire ? → what were you doing?
I was working j'étais en train de travailler
Javi
J'étais en train de travailler à la boulangerie.
I was working at the bakery.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) à la boulangerie.
Options: On attendait le voleur · On surveillait depuis minuit · J'étais en train de travailler
Show answer
Javi
J'étais en train de travailler à la boulangerie.
I was working at the bakery.
Watch out
On always takes the il/elle form — on était, on surveillait, never on étions or on surveillions, even though it means "we".
Common mistake
Not surveillions or a surveillé here. We (on), watching for a while.
Oui. On surveillait l'escalier depuis minuit.
Yes. We'd been watching the stairs since midnight.
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
| we were waiting for the thief | on attendait le voleur |
|---|---|
| we'd been keeping watch since midnight | on surveillait depuis minuit |
| we were eating | on était en train de manger |
| what were you doing? | qu'est-ce que tu étais en train de faire ? |
| I was working | j'étais en train de travailler |
More lines from the story
- ElenaOui. On surveillait l'escalier depuis minuit.Yes. We'd been watching the stairs since midnight.
- ElenaEt toi, qu'étais-tu en train de faire jusqu'à maintenant ?And you, what were you doing until now?
- ElenaComme c'est suspect ! Tu reviens sur ma liste.How suspicious! You're back on my list.