泣いてた

was crying

→ 泣く
泣い to cry, to weep + て Te-form (conjunctive form) + た Past tense
verb · informal, past tense Rare #42,704
was crying Colloquial contraction of 泣いていた.
JA: 子どもが泣いてた。
EN: The child was crying.
Conjugation of 泣く

ずっと泣いてたんだ

I was crying the whole time.

— ジョジョ・ラビット (2019)

人々は泣いてた助けを求めた。

The people were crying and asking for help.

メアリーが泣いてたの、トムと私は知ってるよ。

Tom and I know that Mary was crying.