tu avais

you had

→ tu
phrase Common #3,508
you had The imperfect form of « avoir »; depending on context, it can also mean “you were having.”
FR: Tu avais une idée ?
EN: Did you have an idea?

Tu avais besoin de moi.

You needed me.

Tu avais aussi raison.

You were right too.

C'est ça que tu avais envie de faire ?

Is that what you wanted to do?

Tu avais besoin d’un manteau.

You needed a coat.

Je pensais que tu avais déjà un ticket.

I thought you already had a ticket.

Tu avais besoin de moi ?

Did you need me?

— Un Soleil (2019)

Tu avais ton monde, moi le mien.

You had your world, I had mine.

— Star Trek II : La colère de Khan (1982)

Tu avais aussi raison pour l'alliance.

You were right about the wedding ring too.

Là, tu avais qui à dos ?

Who were you up against there?

— Perfetti sconosciuti (2016)

Tu avais de beaux yeux.

You had beautiful eyes.

Il savait que tu avais le film.

He knew you had the movie.

— Tesis (1996)

Quand tu avais besoin de fusiliers, je t'en ai envoyé.

When you needed riflemen, I sent you some.

— Princesse Mononoké (1997)

Tu avais des petites amies, à la faculté.

You had girlfriends in college.

— Garçon d'honneur (1993)

Tu avais peut-être raison.

Maybe you were right.

— Article 15 (2019)

Autrefois, tu avais une femme.

You used to have a wife.

— Le Bon, la Brute et le Truand (1966)

J'ai dit tout ce que tu avais besoin de savoir.

I told you everything you needed to know.

Tu avais les dents cariées.

You had decayed teeth.

Si tu avais besoin de mes conseils, je serais ravi de te les apporter.

If you needed my advice, I’d be happy to give it to you.

Est-ce là tout ce que tu avais à me demander ?

Is that all you wanted to ask me?

J'ignorais vraiment que tu avais ce sentiment.

I really had no idea you felt that way.

Tu avais pourtant l'air de bien savoir.

You did seem to know, though.

— The Witch (2016)

On a cru que tu avais une attaque.

We thought you were having a stroke.

Je pensais que tu avais un petit ami.

I thought you had a boyfriend.

Tu ne m'as même pas dit que tu avais une petite amie.

You didn't even tell me you had a girlfriend.

— New York Masala (2003)

Tu avais toujours la volonté de te dépasser.

You always had the will to surpass yourself.

— Demon Slayer : Kimetsu no Yaiba - Le film : La Forteresse infinie (2025)

Tu avais du dentifrice.

You had toothpaste.

— Harry Potter et le Prince de sang-mêlé (2009)

Tu avais quelque chose à me dire ?

Did you have something to tell me?

J'ai entendu dire que tu avais un superbe travail !

I heard you have a great job!

— Departures (2008)

Et tu avais toutes les raisons de me haïr.

And you had every reason to hate me.

— Volver (2006)

Enfant, tu avais peur du noir.

As a child, you were afraid of the dark.

Tu avais une cousine qui vivait à Boston.

You had a cousin who lived in Boston.

Si tu avais un brin d'amour-propre, tu rendrais ce livre.

If you had even an ounce of self-respect, you’d return this book.

— Harry Potter et le Prince de sang-mêlé (2009)

Je savais que tu avais bon cœur.

I knew you had a good heart.

— Pinocchio (2019)

Tu avais vraiment froid.

You were really cold.

Et si tu avais tort ?

What if you were wrong?

— Avengers : Infinity War (2018)

Je voulais savoir si tu avais le temps de vivre un peu.

I wanted to know if you had time to live a little.

— Toni Erdmann (2016)

Tu t'es fait prendre et tu as perdu le pognon que tu avais en main !

You got caught and lost the cash you had on you!

— Ong-Bak (2003)

Tu avais de l'avance sur nous, pas vrai ?

You were ahead of us, weren't you?

— Le monde perdu : Jurassic Park (1997)

J'ai vu que tu avais un vieux téléphone.

I saw that you had an old phone.

— La Femme de ménage (2025)

Aujourd'hui, j'ai l'âge que tu avais en partant.

Today, I’m the age you were when you left.

— Interstellar (2014)

Je commençais à m'imaginer que tu avais mon âge.

I was starting to imagine that you were my age.

— Get Out Your Handkerchiefs (1978)

Tu étais insolent, arrogant, et tu avais tout à apprendre.

You were insolent, arrogant, and you had everything to learn.

— F1® Le Film (2025)

Qu'est-ce que tu avais en tête ?

What did you have in mind?

As-tu trouvé ce que tu avais besoin ?

Did you find what you needed?

Tu avais une barbe.

You used to have a beard.

— The Man from Earth (2007)

Tu avais vraiment l'intention de revenir ?

Did you really intend to come back?

— Les Bonnes étoiles (2022)

Et d'aller les voir si tu avais besoin de quoi que ce soit.

And to go see them if you needed anything.

— Ne Zha 2 (2025)

Que ferais-tu si tu avais un milliard de dollars ?

What would you do if you had a billion dollars?

Quand je suis parti, tu avais quatre ans.

When I left, you were four years old.

— The Wandering Earth (2019)

Tu avais vraiment l'air de suffoquer.

You really looked like you were suffocating.

— Souvenirs de Marnie (2014)

Je savais que tu avais ça en toi.

I knew you had it in you.

Tu m'as dit que tu avais pas.

You told me you didn’t have any.

— Laurence Anyways (2012)

Tu dis cela comme si tu avais des idées de revanche.

You say that as if you were plotting revenge.

Peu importe, tu avais totalement raison, et j'y ai beaucoup réfléchi.

Never mind, you were absolutely right, and I’ve given it a lot of thought.

— The Strangers (2016)

J'ai toujours su que tu avais du talent.

I always knew you had talent.

Je n'ai pas réalisé que tu avais faim.

I didn’t realize you were hungry.

Rappelle-toi, tu avais six ans.

Remember, you were six years old.

— Blade Runner (1982)

Enjô, tu aurais dû protéger cette vie quotidienne que tu avais.

Enjô, you should have protected the everyday life you had.

— The Garden of Sinners, film 5 : Spirale contradictoire (2008)

Qu'est-ce que tu avais à me dire ?

What did you have to tell me?

Tu avais bien raison.

You were absolutely right.

— La Mouche (1986)

Tu y étais et tu avais cette casquette !

You were there and you had that cap!

— Le Voleur de bicyclette (1948)

Elle a dit que tu avais un rendez-vous avec elle aujourd'hui ?

Did she say that you had an appointment with her today?

— New York Masala (2003)

Tu avais des plans.

You had plans.

— The Dark Knight : Le Chevalier noir (2008)

Tu avais tout.

You had everything.

— Tron : Ares (2025)

Tu avais un pistolet.

You had a gun.

— Le Conformiste (1971)

Tu avais un pas d'avance.

You were one step ahead.

— Hero (2002)

Tu avais leur confiance.

They trusted you.

— Entretien avec un vampire (1994)

Parfois, je me demande si tu avais ou pas raison depuis le début.

Sometimes I wonder whether or not you were right all along.

Tu as dit ce que tu avais à dire.

You said what you had to say.

Tu avais chaud.

You were hot.

Tu as dit que tu avais faim.

You said you were hungry.

Je croyais que tu avais un rapport de mission à faire.

I thought you had a mission report to write.

— Star Trek : Sans limites (2016)

Quand tu étais enfant, tu avais peur des fantômes.

When you were a child, you were afraid of ghosts.

— Comment devenir riche (grâce à sa grand-mère) (2024)

J'ai obtenu ce dont tu avais besoin.

I got what you needed.

À quoi ressemblais-tu quand tu avais quinze ans ?

What did you look like when you were fifteen?

Tu avais un contrôle aujourd'hui.

You had a test today.

— Rushmore (1998)

Je savais que tu avais une énorme pression de ta famille.

I knew you were under enormous pressure from your family.

— PK (2014)

Tu avais de l'argent dans ton sac ?

Did you have any money in your bag?

— Les Nuits de Cabiria (1957)

Tout ce que tu avais à faire était de demander.

All you had to do was ask.

Tu avais déjà le couteau en main.

You already had the knife in your hand.

— The Shadow's Edge (2025)

Tu as dit que tu avais quelque chose pour moi.

You said you had something for me.

— Juno (2007)

Tu as dit que tu avais aussi un message pour moi ?

You said you also had a message for me?

— Crime 101 (2026)

Tu avais de l'argent pour le jeu.

You had money for the game.

— Les Sept Samouraïs (1954)

Je croyais que tu avais chaud.

I thought you were hot.

— The Mermaid (2016)

Tu avais chaud, n'est-ce pas ?

You were hot, weren't you?

Je pensais que tu avais faim.

I thought you were hungry.

Tu pouvais compter jusqu'à dix lorsque tu avais deux ans.

You could count to ten when you were two years old.

Alors, tu avais des questions, c'est ça ?

So, you had some questions, right?

— Bugonia (2025)

Tu avais le choix.

You had a choice.

Il a dit que tu avais des obligations familiales, aujourd'hui.

He said you had family obligations today.

— Garçon d'honneur (1993)

Tu avais une dette envers Dieu.

You owed God a debt.

— Mystic River (2003)

Je pensais que tu avais de l'humour.

I thought you had a sense of humor.

— The Mask (1994)

Je ne savais même pas que tu avais une petite amie.

I didn't even know you had a girlfriend.

C'est drôle, je m'imaginais que tu avais une piscine.

Funny, I imagined you had a swimming pool.

— Good Bye Lenin! (2003)

Tu avais ces problèmes ?

Did you have these problems?

— Love Actually (2003)

Tu pouvais compter jusqu'à dix, quand tu avais deux ans.

You could count to ten when you were two years old.

Au fait, Willie, tu avais tort à propos d'Enrique Sanchez.

By the way, Willie, you were wrong about Enrique Sanchez.

— Rushmore (1998)

Tu as dit que tu avais une théorie.

You said you had a theory.

Tu avais peur, non ?

You were scared, weren’t you?

Je savais que tu avais une petite amie.

I knew you had a girlfriend.

Tu avais tes papiers sur toi.

You had your papers on you.

— Le Pianiste (2002)

Tu avais déjà une jolie fille mais il t'en a fallu une autre.

You already had a pretty girl, but you had to have another one.

— Picnic (1955)

Je ne sais pas ce que tu avais en tête, mais tu te trompes.

I don't know what you had in mind, but you're wrong.

— Une journée particulière (1977)

J'ai le sentiment que tu avais autre chose en tête.

I have the feeling you had something else in mind.

Tu as fait ce que tu avais à faire.

You did what you had to do.

Tu avais quel âge ?

How old were you?

Ce n'est pas toi qui m'as dit que tu avais besoin de lui ?

Weren’t you the one who told me you needed him?

— Bad Genius (2017)

Je pensais que tu avais toutes les réponses.

I thought you had all the answers.

Qu'est-ce que tu avais ?

What was wrong with you?

J'ai vu que tu avais beaucoup d'amis.

I saw that you had a lot of friends.

— Bad Genius (2017)

J'ai entendu dire que tu avais une nouvelle voiture.

I heard that you had a new car.

Tu avais quelque chose à nous dire ?

Did you have something to tell us?

Ce n'est pas comme si tu avais quelque chose de mieux à faire.

It's not as if you had anything better to do.

Tu avais tort.

You were wrong.

— 3 Idiots (2009)

Tu avais un don et tu n'as pas pu l'utiliser.

You had a gift, and you weren't able to use it.

— Interstellar (2014)

Le médecin a dit que tu avais un an devant toi.

The doctor said you had a year to live.

— Comment devenir riche (grâce à sa grand-mère) (2024)

Je savais que tu avais une copine !

I knew you had a girlfriend!

Tu avais le trac, non ?

You were nervous, weren't you?

— Dernier train pour Busan (2016)

Tu avais seulement peur, pas vrai ?

You were just scared, weren't you?

— Nausicaä de la vallée du vent (1984)

On voulait juste savoir si tu avais du shampooing.

We just wanted to know if you had any shampoo.

— Y tu mamá también (2001)

J'imagine quand tu avais six ans.

I imagine when you were six.

Tu as dit que tu avais un rêve.

You said you had a dream.

Tu avais mon autorisation ?

Did you have my permission?

— La Vague (2008)

J'étais sûre que tu avais quelqu'un, une pétasse, comme Peppe.

I was sure you had someone, some slut like Peppe.

— Perfetti sconosciuti (2016)

Je savais que tu avais un petit-ami !

I knew you had a boyfriend!

Je pense pas que tu avais l'intention de tuer Hyang-sook.

I don't think you intended to kill Hyang-sook.

— Memories of Murder (2003)

Je t'ai aidé quand tu avais besoin d'aide.

I helped you when you needed help.

Tu avais bien un restaurant avec ta mère ?

You did have a restaurant with your mother, didn't you?

— Les Bonnes étoiles (2022)

À Buenos Aires, tu avais un oncle, non ?

In Buenos Aires, you had an uncle, didn't you?

— Douleur et gloire (2019)

Tiens, au moins, tu avais Jack.

Well, at least you had Jack.

— Shelter (2026)

Tu avais bon après tout.

You were right after all.

Mais tu avais ces souvenirs.

But you had those memories.

— Mirage (2018)

Si seulement tu avais la possibilité de me donner ton consentement.

If only you had the option to give me your consent.

— 28 Ans plus tard : Le Temple des morts (2026)

phrase Common #5,322
you had Often followed by a past participle to mean “you had done” something.
FR: Tu avais déjà vu ce film.
EN: You had already seen that film.

C'est ce que je pensais que tu avais dit.

That's what I thought you said.

Tu avais acheté la nappe et la drogue pour l'endormir.

You had bought the tablecloth and the drugs to put him to sleep.

— Les Diaboliques (1955)

Tu avais dit que je pourrais leur parler.

You said I could talk to them.

Avant de l'épouser, tu avais déjà couché avec lui ?

Before marrying him, had you already slept with him?

— Le Conformiste (1971)

Je croyais que tu avais dit que c'était ta copine.

I thought you said she was your girlfriend.

— Retour à Silent Hill (2026)

Qu'est devenue cette femme que tu avais rencontrée ?

What became of the woman you met?

Tu avais dit que nous n'avions pas de famille.

You said we didn't have any family.

— Star Trek V : L'Ultime Frontière (1989)

Je croyais que tu avais grandi ici.

I thought you grew up here.

— Die My Love (2025)

J'ai appris que tu avais refusé ta promotion.

I heard that you had turned down your promotion.

— Salé, Sucré (1994)

Tu avais dit que je reviendrai.

You said I would come back.

— Benni (2019)

Tu avais déjà vu du marbre rose ?

Had you ever seen pink marble before?

— Cemetery of Splendour (2015)

Russ, on m'a dit que tu avais eu des pépins, ce matin.

Russ, I heard you ran into some trouble this morning.

— Independence Day (1996)

Je pensais que c'était pour ça que tu avais pris Dirk comme disciple.

I thought that was why you took Dirk on as your disciple.

— Rushmore (1998)

Tu avais dit que je pourrais revenir.

You had said that I could come back.

— Benni (2019)

J'ai toujours su que tu avais volé l'épée !

I always knew you had stolen the sword!

— Tigre & Dragon (2000)

On m'a dit que tu avais changé de spécialité.

I was told that you had changed your major.

Je pensais que tu avais dit que tu travaillais ici.

I thought you said you worked here.

J'avais oublié que tu avais oublié.

I had forgotten that you had forgotten.

J'ai regardé les photos de moi que tu avais envoyées.

I looked at the photos of me that you had sent.

— Souvenirs de Marnie (2014)

Tout le monde pensait que tu m'avais mise enceinte et que tu avais dû m'épouser.

Everyone thought you had gotten me pregnant and had to marry me.

— Pour l'éternité (2025)

Je croyais que tu avais compris.

I thought you understood.

Tu avais fumé, n'est-ce pas ?

You had smoked, hadn't you?

Je croyais que tu avais dit que Tom avait besoin de plus de temps.

I thought you said Tom needed more time.

On m'a dit que tu avais eu un accident.

I was told that you’d had an accident.

— Akira (1988)

Je pensais que tu avais oublié.

I thought you forgot.

Je pensais que tu avais vécu dans une caravane.

I thought you lived in a caravan.

Je t'ai demandé ce que tu avais vu !

I asked you what you had seen!

— The Strangers (2016)

C'est comme si tu avais eu une intuition.

It's as if you'd had a hunch.

— Perfetti sconosciuti (2016)

Tu avais bu ?

Had you been drinking?

Je croyais que tu avais dit que tu le ferais à coup sûr.

I thought you said you would definitely do it.

Je pensais que tu avais dit que tu n'aimais pas faire ça.

I thought you said you didn't like doing that.

Tu avais dit qu'on partirait ensemble.

You said we’d leave together.

— Le Syndicat du crime (1986)

Tu avais dit de rester ici !

You said to stay here!

— Alien³ (1992)

Et je croyais que tu avais cassé avec Guo-Lun !

And I thought you had broken up with Guo-Lun!

— Salé, Sucré (1994)

On a réussi, comme tu avais dit.

We succeeded, just like you said.

— Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die (2026)

Tu avais appelé ?

Did you call?

Tu avais commandé plein de choses et après tu n'avais pas assez pour payer.

You had ordered a lot of things, and then you didn’t have enough money to pay.

— Romance de bureau (1977)

Oh, tu m'as fichu une peur bleue quand j'ay vu que tu avais disparu.

Oh, you scared the living daylights out of me when I saw you had disappeared.

— The Witch (2016)

Je pensais que tu avais arrêté de boire.

I thought you had stopped drinking.

Quand je t'ai rencontré, tu avais perdu ton avenir et tu te sentais vide.

When I met you, you had lost your future and felt empty.

— The Garden of Sinners, film 5 : Spirale contradictoire (2008)

Je pensais que tu avais vu ce film.

I thought you had seen that movie.

Je commençais à penser que tu avais oublié.

I was starting to think you’d forgotten.

Nonno, tu avais dit qu’on allait faire de jolis souliers pour M. Weaselton.

Grandpa, you said we were going to make some nice shoes for Mr. Weaselton.

— Zootopie 2 (2025)

Tu avais dit quatre.

You said four.

— Les Sept Samouraïs (1954)

Ils n'ont pas dit que tu avais échoué.

They didn’t say that you had failed.

— Le Syndicat du crime (1986)

J'avais entendu que tu avais changé.

I had heard that you had changed.

Tu avais dit que Wang Biao te l'avait donné.

You said Wang Biao had given it to you.

— Full River Red (2023)

On m'a dit que tu avais été très convaincant.

I was told that you had been very convincing.

— Rushmore (1998)

Je savais pas que tu avais étudié la médecine !

I didn't know you studied medicine!

— Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Que tu avais quitté ton boulot.

That you had quit your job.

— Happy Together (1997)

Je pensais que tu avais dit n'être pas intéressé.

I thought you said you weren’t interested.

J'ai trouvé la boucle d'oreille que tu avais perdue.

I found the earring you had lost.

On pensait que tu avais décidé de rester.

We thought you had decided to stay.

Oui, j'oubliais complètement que tu avais eu une fiancée !

Oh, right, I’d completely forgotten that you’d had a fiancée!

— L'ironie du sort, ou profitez de votre bain ! (1976)

Je croyais que tu avais dit que tu ne voulais pas être dérangé.

I thought you said you didn't want to be disturbed.

Tu avais compris.

You had understood.

— The World (2004)

J'ai entendu que tu avais pris ta retraite.

I heard that you had retired.

Je vis ce que tu avais fait.

I saw what you had done.

Tu avais disparu.

You were gone.

— La Cité de Dieu (2002)

Et Kaushalya, toi aussi tu avais chanté le jour de la naissance de ma fille.

And Kaushalya, you too sang on the day my daughter was born.

— Devdas (2002)

Tu avais beaucoup saigné.

You had bled a lot.

— Les Bonnes étoiles (2022)

Tu avais décidé qu'il serait un ingénieur.

You had decided that he would be an engineer.

— 3 Idiots (2009)

Comme tu avais dit.

Just like you said.

— Avatar : La Voie de l'eau (2022)

Tu avais dit que tu ne voulais pas de livres.

You said you didn't want any books.

— La Vie des autres (2006)

Je pensais que tu avais déjà fait du café.

I thought you had already made coffee.

— Une journée particulière (1977)

Je ne pensais pas que tu avais remarqué.

I didn't think you'd noticed.

Tu vois, tu avais dit que maintenant était la première fois.

You see, you said that now was the first time.

— The Man from Earth (2007)

Je croyais que tu avais arrêté.

I thought you had stopped.

Pendant un moment, j'ai cru que tu avais changé.

For a while, I thought you had changed.

— Wicked : Partie II (2025)

J'ignorais que tu avais travaillé ici.

I didn't know you'd worked here.

Comme Mlle Kien, que tu avais refusée.

Like Miss Kien, whom you had turned down.

— Garçon d'honneur (1993)

Je croyais que tu avais fait la paix.

I thought you had made peace.

— Projet Dernière Chance (2026)

J'avais entendu dire que tu avais changé.

I had heard that you had changed.

Je voulais te présenter Nandini, mais tu avais disparu.

I wanted to introduce you to Nandini, but you had disappeared.

— Mon cœur est déjà pris (1999)

Pourquoi tu avais choisi ce soir pour nous la présenter ?

Why did you choose this evening to present her to us?

— Perfetti sconosciuti (2016)

Qui savait que tu avais envoyé des lettres ?

Who knew you had sent letters?

— Our Times (2015)

Tu lui as dit que ce serait lâche de croire que tu avais tout imaginé.

You told him it would be cowardly to believe that you had imagined everything.

— Peaky Blinders : L'Immortel (2026)

C'est comme si tu avais ressuscité.

It's as if you'd come back to life.

— Le Roi lion (1994)

Tu m'as dit que tu avais décodé l'œuf.

You told me you had decoded the egg.

— Harry Potter et la Coupe de feu (2005)

Je pensais que tu avais changé.

I thought you had changed.

Tu as dit que tu avais compris pourquoi.

You said you understood why.

Je croyais que tu avais oublié.

I thought you forgot.

Tu avais si bien commencé.

You had such a good start.

— Benni (2019)

Tom m'a dit que tu avais eu peur.

Tom told me that you had been scared.

Tu avais déjà mangé ça ?

Had you already eaten that?

— Une seconde mère (2015)

J'ai entendu que tu avais acheté un bateau.

I heard that you bought a boat.

Tu avais dit que tu voulais venir voir.

You said you wanted to come and see.

Tu avais laissé la porte ouverte.

You had left the door open.

— Volver (2006)

Après ce que tu avais dit, je pouvais venir vers toi ?

After what you said, could I come to you?

— Les Affranchis (1990)

Je croyais que tu avais dit ne pas pouvoir te payer un camion.

I thought you said you couldn't afford a truck.