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il travaillait

he was working

→ il
phrase Uncommon #14,280
he was working The imperfect tense can describe an ongoing or habitual action in the past.
FR: Il travaillait quand je suis arrivé.
EN: He was working when I arrived.

Colonel, il travaillait pour le département de la circulation.

Colonel, he worked for the traffic department.

— Sacrifices of War (2011)

Il travaillait pour moi.

He worked for me.

— Gangs of Wasseypur : 1ère partie (2012)

Il travaillait à temps partiel à l'ambassade du Pakistan.

He worked part-time at the Pakistani embassy.

— PK (2014)

Il travaillait jour et nuit, cherchant sans relâche.

He worked day and night, searching tirelessly.

— La piel que habito (2011)

Il travaillait pour la famille pas loin d'ici, à la place du Garçon qui pleure.

He worked for the family not far from here, in place of the crying boy.

— L'Agent secret (2025)

Écoute, ducon, il travaillait plus là quand on m'a embauché.

Listen, jerk, he wasn’t working there anymore when I was hired.

— Les Lundis au soleil (2002)

Il travaillait là.

He worked there.

— Nobody Knows (2004)

Il travaillait très dur.

He worked very hard.

— Lust, Caution (2007)

Il travaillait pour nous.

He worked for us.

Il travaillait la nuit et dormait le jour.

He worked at night and slept during the day.

Il ne travaille plus ici maintenant, mais avant il travaillait bien ici.

He doesn't work here anymore, but he used to work here.

Donc, il travaillait là ?

So, he worked there?

— Anatomie d'une chute (2023)

Avant, il travaillait dans la finance.

He used to work in finance.

Jeune, il travaillait dur.

When he was young, he worked hard.

Il travaillait ici avant vous.

He worked here before you.

— Masaan (2015)

Il travaillait par goût et par vocation, certes, mais par amusement aussi.

He worked out of interest and a sense of calling, certainly, but for enjoyment too.

Il travaillait à la fois le midi et le soir.

He worked both lunch and dinner.

Il travaillait lentement.

He worked slowly.

— Anatomie d'une chute (2023)

Il travaillait pour le Ministère, avant d'être appelé au Comité Central.

He worked for the Ministry before being called to the Central Committee.

— La Vie des autres (2006)

Il travaillait ici.

He worked here.

Il aurait aimé venir mais il travaillait ce jour-là.

He would have liked to come but he was working that day.

Il travaillait à Chungking.

He worked in Chungking.

— Les Anges déchus (1995)

Il travaillait pour un homme riche.

He worked for a rich man.

Il travaillait jour et nuit pour pouvoir devenir riche.

He worked day and night to become rich.

Il travaillait très dur sur le port.

He worked very hard at the port.

— Departures (2008)

Il travaillait à Londres.

He worked in London.

— Le vent se lève (2006)

Il travaillait d'autant plus dur qu'il voulait être apprécié de son professeur.

He worked all the harder because he wanted his teacher's approval.

Il travaillait.

He was working.

Mo, il travaillait vraiment sur les morts ?

Mo, was he really working on the dead?

— Sacrifices of War (2011)

Il travaillait de nuit ?

Did he work the night shift?

— The World (2004)

Surtout quand il travaillait.

Especially when he was working.

— Anatomie d'une chute (2023)

Il travaillait de neuf heures à cinq heures.

He worked from nine to five.