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nous attendions

were expecting, were waiting for

→ attendre
attend to wait + ions we imperfect or subjunctive ending
verb · imperfect tense / present tense, 1st-person plural Rare #34,791
were expecting The form can mean either “we were expecting” or “you were expecting”; the context shows who is meant.
FR: Nous attendions une réponse.
EN: We were expecting an answer.
were waiting for The form can mean either “we were waiting for” or “you were waiting for”; the context shows who is meant.
FR: Nous vous attendions devant le cinéma.
EN: We were waiting for you in front of the movie theater.
Conjugation of attendre
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
First attendais attendions
Second attendais attendiez
Third attendait attendaient
Subjunctive present
SingularPlural
First attende attendions
Second attendes attendiez
Third attende attendent

Nous nous y attendions, répondis-je.

We expected it, I replied.

Nous l'attendions depuis un bon moment.

We had been waiting for it for quite some time.

Oui, nous vous attendions.

Yes, we were waiting for you.

Nous t'attendions.

We were waiting for you.

— Le Garçon et le Héron (2023)

Nous vous attendions.

We were waiting for you.

— Le Garçon et le Héron (2023)

Nous vous attendions, Colonel.

We were expecting you, Colonel.

— Akira (1988)

Nous t'attendions, Mahito.

We were waiting for you, Mahito.

— Le Garçon et le Héron (2023)

Nous avons eu moins de neige cet hiver que nous l'attendions.

We had less snow this winter than we expected.

Seewald, nous vous attendions avec impatience.

Seewald, we were eagerly awaiting your arrival.

— Le Bateau (1981)