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ils attendaient

were waiting (for)

→ attendre
attend to wait (for) + aient imperfect tense, they
verb · third plural · imperfect indicative Uncommon #16,211
were waiting (for) Imperfect tense (ongoing or repeated action in the past).
FR: Ils attendaient le bus depuis vingt minutes.
EN: They had been waiting for the bus for twenty minutes.
Conjugation of attendre
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
First — attendions
Second — attendiez
Third attendait attendaient

Il y avait trois personnes qui attendaient avant moi.

There were three people waiting before me.

Des hommes en armes les attendaient.

Armed men were waiting for them.

Mais les premiers, ils nous attendaient.

But the first ones were waiting for us.

— Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Des camions transportant d'énormes tas de charbon attendaient à l'entrée.

Trucks carrying enormous piles of coal were waiting at the entrance.

Elles ne s'attendaient pas à ce que je refuse.

They didn’t expect me to refuse.

Elles nous attendaient.

They were waiting for us.

Les flics nous attendaient.

The cops were waiting for us.

— Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Les gens attendaient un discours de victoire.

People were waiting for a victory speech.

Ils ne s'attendaient pas à ce que je refuse.

They didn't expect me to refuse.

Mes compagnons n'attendaient que ça.

My companions were just waiting for that.

— Apocalypse Now (1979)

De nombreuses personnes attendaient l'autobus.

Many people were waiting for the bus.

Ils nous attendaient.

They were waiting for us.

— Les 3 Royaumes (2008)

On rapporte que cent mille personnes attendaient son retour à Tokyo.

It is reported that one hundred thousand people were awaiting his return to Tokyo.

— Marty Supreme (2025)

Les élèves attendaient l'autobus.

The students were waiting for the bus.

Ses parents l'attendaient pour dîner mais il ne rentra pas.

His parents were waiting for him for dinner, but he didn't come home.

— L'Accusé (2017)

Elles attendaient un train.

They were waiting for a train.

— Il était une fois dans l'Ouest (1968)

Ils attendaient l'ouverture de la porte.

They were waiting for the door to open.

On a été piégés, les flics nous attendaient.

We were set up; the cops were waiting for us.

— Reservoir Dogs (1992)

À quoi s'attendaient-elles ?

What were they expecting?

Tous les jours, deux enfants attendaient leur retour.

Every day, two children waited for their return.

Lorsque je suis arrivé à la gare, mes amis m'attendaient.

When I arrived at the station, my friends were waiting for me.

Ils m'attendaient.

They were waiting for me.

Tous les étudiants attendaient avec impatience les vacances d'été.

All the students were eagerly looking forward to the summer vacation.

Qu'ils attendaient quelqu'un comme moi.

That they were waiting for someone like me.

— Crime 101 (2026)