were sleeping, slept
Les enfants dormaient en haut.
The children were sleeping upstairs.
Les enfants dormaient lorsque leurs grands-parents les appelèrent.
The children were asleep when their grandparents called them.
Ils dormaient, ils ont rien senti.
They were asleep; they didn't feel a thing.
— Volver (2006)
Ils dormaient.
They were sleeping.
Elles dormaient.
Sa femme et son fils dormaient déjà profondément.
His wife and son were already fast asleep.