was preventing, was stopping
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| Third | empêchait | — |
Ils ignoraient que la peur l'en empêchait.
They didn’t know that fear was preventing him from doing it.
— Y tu mamá también (2001)
Araya t'a gardé en vie car ça empêchait ton prochain corps de se déclencher.
Araya kept you alive because it prevented your next body from being activated.
— The Garden of Sinners, film 5 : Spirale contradictoire (2008)
Je ne comprenais pas ce qui m'empêchait de bouger.
I couldn't understand what was keeping me from moving.
Son orgueil l'empêchait de demander l'aide des autres.
His pride prevented him from asking others for help.