Yap.Town

ils attendaient

were waiting for, were expecting

→ attendre
attend to wait + aient ils/elles imperfect
verb · 3rd-person plural, imperfect tense Uncommon #14,296
were waiting for Often confused with English “attend,” which means to be present at an event or place.
FR: Les enfants attendaient le bus.
EN: The children were waiting for the bus.
were expecting Often confused with English “attend,” which means to be present at an event or place.
FR: Ils attendaient une réponse.
EN: They were expecting an answer.
Conjugation of attendre
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
First attendais attendions
Second attendais attendiez
Third attendait attendaient

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 flics nous attendaient.

The cops were waiting for us.

— Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Elles nous attendaient.

They were waiting for us.

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)

Ils ne s'attendaient pas à ça.

They weren't expecting that.

— Le Pianiste (2002)

Ses collègues ne l'y attendaient plus.

Her colleagues weren’t expecting her there anymore.

Ses copines l'attendaient à la porte.

Her friends were waiting for her at the door.

Ses amies l'attendaient à la porte.

Her friends were waiting for her at the door.

Mes compagnons n'attendaient que ça.

My companions were just waiting for that.

— Apocalypse Now (1979)

Elles attendaient un train.

They were waiting for a train.

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

À quoi s'attendaient-elles ?

What were they expecting?

Les gens attendaient un discours de victoire.

People were waiting for a victory speech.

Ils m'attendaient.

They were waiting for me.

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

They didn’t expect me to refuse.

On a été piégés, les flics nous attendaient.

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

— Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Il y avait trois personnes qui attendaient avant moi.

There were three people waiting before me.

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

They didn't expect me to refuse.

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.

Et ils m'attendaient.

And they were waiting for me.

— The Count of Monte Cristo (2024)

Ils attendaient l'ouverture de la porte.

They were waiting for the door to open.

Ils attendaient des livraisons, je leur ai expliqué.

They were waiting for deliveries, I explained to them.

— Serie Noire (1979)

Des hommes en armes les attendaient.

Armed men were waiting for them.

De nombreuses personnes attendaient l'autobus.

Many people were waiting for the bus.

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

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

Mais les premiers, ils nous attendaient.

But the first ones were waiting for us.

— Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Ses amis l'attendaient à la porte.

His friends were waiting for him at the door.

Les élèves attendaient l'autobus.

The students were waiting for the bus.

Ils nous attendaient.

They were waiting for us.

— Les 3 Royaumes (2008)

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

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

Le Bibliothécaire du Shire et le maître du port l’y attendaient.

The Shire’s librarian and the harbor master were waiting for him there.

Tu dois avoir les flics derrière, ils attendaient que ça.

You must have the cops after you—they were waiting for it.

— Serie Noire (1979)

Qu'ils attendaient quelqu'un comme moi.

That they were waiting for someone like me.

— Crime 101 (2026)