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ils jouaient

they were playing

→ il
phrase Rare #39,243
they were playing Also means “they used to play” for a repeated past activity. The exact translation of “jouer” depends on what they were playing.
FR: Quand ils étaient petits, ils jouaient souvent dehors.
EN: When they were little, they often played outside.

Ils jouaient au baseball dans le parc.

They were playing baseball in the park.

Ils jouaient de la guitare.

They were playing guitar.

Petits, ils jouaient à s'entretuer.

When they were little, they played at killing each other.

— La piel que habito (2011)

Ils jouaient aux cartes toute la nuit, personne appelait les flics.

They played cards all night, nobody called the cops.

— Les Affranchis (1990)

En été, ils jouaient sur la plage toute la journée.

In summer, they played on the beach all day.

Ils jouaient avec une arme.

They were playing with a gun.

— Mystic River (2003)

À les voir, ils jouaient peut-être aux cartes.

From the look of them, they might have been playing cards.

L'hiver, ils jouaient au hockey.

In the winter, they played hockey.

— Une fiancée pas comme les autres (2007)