il chantait

was singing, sang

ʃ ɑ̃ . t ɛ → chanter
chant sing + ait he/she/it imperfect
verb · third singular · imperfect indicative Uncommon #21,442
was singing, sang Imperfect tense (past): describes an ongoing/repeated action in the past or background situation.
FR: Quand je suis arrivé, elle chantait dans la cuisine.
EN: When I arrived, she was singing in the kitchen.
Conjugation of chanter
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
First chantais
Second chantais
Third chantait chantaient

Quelqu'un chantait.

Someone was singing.

Si on chantait?

Shall we sing?

— The Big Sick (2017)

Elle chantait la vie de son fils pendant l'éclipse quotidienne.

She sang about her son's life during the daily eclipse.

— Avatar : De feu et de cendres (2025)

Tom jouait du piano et Marie chantait.

Tom played the piano and Marie sang.

Il jouait du piano et elle chantait.

He played the piano and she sang.

Ziri chantait.

Ziri sang.

Maman me la chantait.

Mom used to sing it to me.

— Le Chant de la mer (2014)

Car je savais ce qu'elle chantait.

Because I knew what she was singing.

Tout le monde chantait ses louanges.

Everyone sang his praises.

Je ne savais pas que Tom chantait aussi bien.

I didn't know Tom could sing so well.

Il chantait aussi bien qu'un oiseau.

He sang as well as a bird.

Mais dès qu'elle chantait, on pouvait voir une larme couler sur sa joue.

But whenever she sang, you could see a tear trickling down her cheek.

— Le Conte de la princesse Kaguya (2013)

Tout le monde chantait, sauf moi.

Everyone was singing, except me.

Elle chantait assez bien.

She sang quite well.

Tom chantait.

Tom was singing.

On vous la chantait en américain?

Were they singing it to you in American English?

— Vacances à Venise (1955)

Il y avait un garçon qui chantait.

There was a boy who was singing.

— Mirage (2018)

Sounds similar to