il approchait

was approaching, was coming closer

→ approcher
approch to approach, to come near + ait 3rd-person singular imperfect
verb · third singular · imperfect indicative Rare #26,997
was approaching, was coming closer Imperfect tense (ongoing action in the past).
FR: Le train approchait de la gare.
EN: The train was approaching the station.
Conjugation of approcher
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
Third approchait

Noël approchait.

Christmas was approaching.

Marie approchait.

Mary was approaching.

Tom s'approchait de Marie.

Tom was approaching Marie.

Sa description approchait de la vérité.

His description was close to the truth.

Sa défaite au Gouffre de Helm lui a montré que l'héritier d'Elendil approchait.

His defeat at Helm’s Deep showed him that Elendil’s heir was approaching.

— Le Seigneur des anneaux : Le Retour du roi (2003)

Nosferatu voyageait avec lui et la catastrophe approchait de Wisborg.

Nosferatu was traveling with him and disaster was approaching Wisborg.

— Nosferatu (1922)

Une voiture s'approchait d'ici.

A car was approaching here.

L'avion approchait Londres.

The plane was approaching London.

Le train s'approchait de la ville.

The train was approaching the city.

Une tempête s'approchait de notre ville.

A storm was approaching our city.

Alors que la date du mariage approchait, Tom a commencé à avoir des doutes.

As the wedding date approached, Tom began to have doubts.

Il s'approchait de la gare.

He was approaching the station.