il attendait

was waiting, was waiting for, was expecting

→ attendre
attend to wait + ait he/she/it imperfect
verb · 3rd-person singular, imperfect tense Common #3,834
was waiting, was waiting for Can also mean “was expecting” when used with s’attendre à.
FR: Elle attendait le bus.
EN: She was waiting for the bus.
was expecting Used with s’attendre à.
FR: Il s’attendait à une réponse rapide.
EN: He was expecting a quick reply.
Conjugation of attendre
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
First attendais attendions
Second attendais attendiez
Third attendait attendaient

Personne ne l'y attendait.

No one expected them there.

— Les Lundis au soleil (2002)

Entre, on t'attendait justement.

Come in, we were just waiting for you.

L'avocat attendait Ben.

The lawyer was waiting for Ben.

Oui, on attendait votre coup de fil.

Yes, we were expecting your call.

— Le Scaphandre et le Papillon (2007)

Il t'attendait.

He was waiting for you.

— Entretien avec un vampire (1994)

Franck attendait avec plaisir son rendez-vous du soir.

Franck was looking forward to his evening appointment.

Nous, on attendait une table.

We were waiting for a table.

— Pinocchio (2019)

C'était dur pour ta maman quand elle t'attendait.

It was hard for your mother when she was expecting you.

— Le Garçon et le Héron (2023)

On attendait, puis il a voulu aller aux toilettes.

We were waiting, then he wanted to go to the bathroom.

— Pas un de moins (1999)

Maître Chiang attendait près du bas de l’escalier.

Master Chiang was waiting near the bottom of the stairs.

Le moment que l'on attendait tous.

The moment we were all waiting for.

— Dangal (2016)

On attendait.

We were waiting.

Je crois qu'on attendait pour la recoudre.

I think they were waiting to sew it back up.

— Grave (2017)

Un trésor m'attendait là-bas.

A treasure was waiting for me there.

— The Grandmaster (2013)

Quand ma belle-mère attendait ma sœur, elle a eu un million de cadeaux.

When my mother-in-law was expecting my sister, she got a million gifts.

— Juno (2007)

Te voici enfin, on t'attendait.

Here you are at last, we've been waiting for you.

Si on attendait un peu ?

What if we waited a little while?

— Il était Temps (2013)

La première m’attendait sur mon porche.

The first one was waiting for me on my porch.

On attendait que tu passes.

We were expecting you to stop by.

— Do the Right Thing (1989)

Je crois que personne ne s'attendait à ça.

I don't think anyone expected that.

Elle m'attendait.

She was waiting for me.

Il ne lui arriverait rien s'il attendait à l'aéroport.

Nothing would happen to him if he waited at the airport.

— L'ironie du sort, ou profitez de votre bain ! (1976)

Ted l'attendait depuis longtemps.

Ted had been waiting for him/her/it for a long time.

Nero m'attendait.

Nero was waiting for me.

— Star Trek (2009)

Nous, on l'attendait.

We were waiting for him.

— Hothead (1979)

On aurait dit qu'elle m'attendait.

It seemed like she was waiting for me.

— Malèna (2000)

Personne ne s'attendait à ce qu'ils gagnent.

No one expected them to win.

On vous attendait.

We were waiting for you.

— La Vie d'Adèle - Chapitres 1 et 2 (2013)

Un jeune homme attendait son tour pour le voir.

A young man was waiting his turn to see him.

Beth attendait avec impatience de le voir, mais il ne se montra jamais.

Beth looked forward to seeing him, but he never showed up.

Maria l'attendait, mais il n'est pas venu.

Maria was waiting for him, but he didn’t come.

Le Parsi attendait.

The Persian was waiting.

Là, il prit place à la table habituelle où son couvert l'attendait.

Then he took his usual seat at the table, where his place setting was waiting for him.

Il a aussi dit que quelqu'un nous attendait à Kyoto.

He also said that someone was waiting for us in Kyoto.

— Bullet Train (2022)

Le miracle qu'on attendait s'est produit.

The miracle we were waiting for happened.

— L'Accusé (2017)

Une grosse surprise m'attendait à la maison.

A big surprise was waiting for me at home.

De l'enfant qu'elle attendait, sais-tu quelque chose ?

Do you know anything about the child she was expecting?

— The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)

Joan a toujours vu la mort comme une surprise de plus qui l'attendait.

Joan has always seen death as just another surprise waiting for her.

— Pour l'éternité (2025)

Personne ne s'attendait à ça.

No one expected that.

Il a dit qu'il attendait mon retour.

He said he was waiting for my response.

Une surprise de taille attendait le BND.

A major surprise awaited the BND.

— Qui suis-je (2014)

Sa fiancée l'attendait pour aller au cinéma.

His fiancée was waiting for him to go to the cinema.

— Y tu mamá también (2001)

Elle attendait impatiemment un appel.

She was impatiently waiting for a call.

Il attendait le rôle de sa vie dans un bar.

He was waiting for the role of a lifetime in a bar.

— Oh Boy (2012)

Puis j'ai entendu une voiture dans la rue je pense que quelqu'un l'attendait.

Then I heard a car outside. I think someone was waiting for it.

— Suspiria (1977)

Devant la porte, un bouquet de fleurs attendait.

A bouquet of flowers was waiting in front of the door.

Il attendait une occasion spéciale.

He was waiting for a special occasion.

— Le Loup de Wall Street (2013)

La traînée attendait donc que son père meure.

The slut was therefore waiting for her father to die.

— Wake Up Dead Man : Une histoire à couteaux tirés (2025)

Ça a été plus court que ce à quoi elle s'attendait.

It was shorter than she expected.

Personne ne s'attendait à cela.

No one expected that.

T'as vu le garçon qu'Alexandre attendait depuis le début du film ?

Did you see the boy Alexandre had been waiting for since the beginning of the movie?

— La Nuit américaine (1973)

Tom attendait avec impatience.

Tom waited impatiently.

Brunel ne s’y attendait pas tout à fait, lui non plus.

Brunel wasn't quite expecting that either.

Un comité d’accueil furieux nous attendait.

An angry reception committee was waiting for us.

Cette fois, une réception nous y attendait.

This time, a reception was waiting for us there.

Personne ne savait ce qui nous attendait.

No one knew what awaited us.

Ce fut plus court que ce à quoi il s'attendait.

It was shorter than he expected.

On s'attendait à ce résultat.

We expected this result.

C'est ce qu'on attendait.

This is what we expected.

Je ne savais pas que Tom m'attendait.

I didn't know Tom was waiting for me.

Je ne savais pas ce qu’elle s’attendait à voir arriver, mais ce n’était pas ça.

I didn’t know what she expected to happen, but this wasn’t it.

Il était arrivé avant et nous attendait déjà.

He had arrived earlier and was already waiting for us.

Tom ne m'a pas dit qui il attendait.

Tom didn't tell me who he was waiting for.

Elle s'attendait à quoi ?

What did she expect?

On vous attendait tous, Maître Yupa.

We were all waiting for you, Master Yupa.

— Nausicaä de la vallée du vent (1984)

Dan attendait la police.

Dan was waiting for the police.

On vous attendait hier soir.

We were expecting you last night.

— Suspiria (1977)

Une foule immense attendait.

A huge crowd was waiting.

Personne ne s’attendait à ce qu’une telle chose se produise.

No one expected such a thing to happen.

Voici le moment qu'on attendait.

This is the moment we've been waiting for.

— Insaisissables 2 (2016)

On t'attendait.

We were waiting for you.

— Scream 7 (2026)

On s'y attendait tous, n'est-ce pas ?

We all expected it, didn’t we?

Tom attendait Noël avec impatience.

Tom was looking forward to Christmas.

Elle s'y attendait.

She expected it.

Et elle m'attendait toute la nuit.

And she waited for me all night.

— Black (2005)

Tom attendait à proximité.

Tom was waiting nearby.

Pietro portait l'uniforme d'une femme de chambre et attendait dehors.

Pietro was wearing a maid’s uniform and waiting outside.

Personne ne s'attendait à ce qu'il se porte de nouveau candidat.

No one expected him to run again.

Bruno attendait dans une horreur absolue.

Bruno waited in absolute horror.

Pendant que l'on attendait tu es resté ici à perdre ton temps ?

While we were waiting, did you stay here wasting your time?

— Le Retour (2003)

On ne s'attendait pas du tout à ça.

We weren’t expecting that at all.

Il attendait juste sa mort pour tout révéler.

He was just waiting for him to die before revealing everything.

— Comment devenir riche (grâce à sa grand-mère) (2024)

Il n'y avait qu'une seule camionnette qui attendait.

There was only one van waiting.

— Detective Chinatown (2015)

Quand nous atteignîmes ce bois, Massol nous y attendait.

When we reached the woods, Massol was waiting for us there.

Personne ne s'attendait à ce qu'il gagne.

No one expected him to win.

On ne vous attendait plus.

We weren't expecting you anymore.

— La Grande Vadrouille (1966)

C'est ce que Gusmão attendait.

That's what Gusmão was waiting for.

— Troupe d'Élite (2007)

Rick n'était pas vraiment sûr de ce qui l'attendait.

Rick wasn't really sure what awaited him.

— Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

Sinon, une série de longs bords m’attendait.

Otherwise, I had a series of long edges ahead of me.

Il attendait.

He was waiting.

Toute la classe attendait le nouvel instituteur.

The whole class was waiting for the new teacher.

Tout le monde attendait le dîner avec impatience.

Everyone was eagerly awaiting dinner.

Alors, on t'attendait.

So, we were waiting for you.

— Gramps Is in the Resistance (1983)

Comme on s'y attendait, il a gagné le prix.

As expected, he won the award.

Un terrible destin l'attendait.

A terrible fate awaited him.

Ma sœur a appelé et on t'attendait.

My sister called, and we were waiting for you.

— Kiki la petite sorcière (1989)

Passepartout les attendait sur le pont du Rangoon.

Passepartout was waiting for them on the deck of the Rangoon.

Qu'il nous attendait.

That he was waiting for us.

— Marche à l'ombre (1984)

Ce n'était pas le résultat qu'elle attendait.

It wasn't the result she expected.

Elle attendait Favell, mais il n'était pas là.

She was waiting for Favell, but he wasn't there.

— Rebecca (1940)

Tom ne s'y attendait pas.

Tom wasn't expecting it.

Sami attendait qu'on l'appelle.

Sami was waiting for someone to call him.

Personne ne vous vit arriver dans la chambre où elle vous attendait.

No one saw you arrive in the room where she was waiting for you.

— L'Accusé (2017)

Tom attendait les nouvelles en retenant son souffle.

Tom waited for the news with bated breath.

Une brillante carrière l'attendait.

A brilliant career lay ahead of him.

On attendait depuis deux heures quand on me l'envoya.

We had been waiting for two hours when they sent it to me.

— L'Accusé (2017)

Mr. Fogg attendait patiemment, sans prononcer une parole.

Mr. Fogg waited patiently without saying a word.

Ce fut plus court que ce à quoi elle s'attendait.

It was shorter than she expected.

L'impassible Fogg attendait sans manifester ses sentiments.

The impassive Fogg waited without showing his feelings.

M. L'instituteur t'attendait.

The teacher was waiting for you.

— Le Ruban blanc (2009)

Keith m’attendait dès que j’ai posé le pied à terre.

Keith was waiting for me as soon as I set foot on land.

L'oncle, qui attendait le neveu, l'entendit.

The uncle, who was waiting for his nephew, heard him.

— Mysterious Object at Noon (2000)

C'était tout à fait différent de ce à quoi il s'attendait.

It was completely different from what he expected.

On attendait tous ton prochain album.

We were all waiting for your next album.

— Perfect Blue (1998)

Il attendait son tour.

He was waiting for his turn.

On t'attendait !

We were waiting for you!

— Haider (2014)

Tom attendait à l'intérieur.

Tom was waiting inside.

Ça a été plus court que ce à quoi il s'attendait.

It was shorter than he expected.

Un comité de bienvenue les attendait à la descente du bus.

A welcoming committee was waiting for them as they got off the bus.

Cependant on n'attendait encore aucun train venant de l'est.

However, no trains from the east were expected yet.

Tom attendait là-bas.

Tom was waiting there.

Derrière le comptoir, la serveuse attendait les clients.

Behind the counter, the waitress was waiting for customers.

La réaction de Tom fut l'opposé de ce à quoi Marie s'attendait.

Tom's reaction was the opposite of what Marie expected.