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il retournait

was going back, was returning, was about

→ retourner
retourn return, go back + ait il/elle imperfect conjugation
verb · 3rd-person singular, imperfect tense Rare #44,711
was going back, was returning In suggestions such as « Et si on retournait… ?», it means “What if we went back…?”
FR: Il retournait chez lui après le travail.
EN: He was going back home after work.
was about Used in the expression « de quoi il retournait », meaning “what it was about.”
FR: Je ne savais pas de quoi il retournait.
EN: I didn’t know what it was about.
Conjugation of retourner
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
Second — retourniez
Third retournait —

Le docteur n'était pas sûr de quoi il retournait.

The doctor wasn't sure what was going on.

Si on retournait le finir ?

What if we went back and finished it?

— Jean de Florette (1986)

Et si on retournait au bateau ?

What if we went back to the boat?

— Anaconda (2025)

Et si on y retournait ?

What if we went back there?

— Rebecca (1940)

Il a dit qu'il y retournait.

He said he was going back there.

— Psychose (1960)

Si quelqu'un retournait un juif, il obtiendrait une médaille ou quelque chose ?

If someone turned in a Jew, would they get a medal or something?

— Jojo Rabbit (2019)