Was meanings in French

était

Example:

He was happy.

Il était heureux.

They were at the party.

Ils étaient à la fête.

Usage: formal/informalContext: Used to describe a state or condition in the past.

Note: The word 'était' is the imperfect form of 'être' (to be), indicating ongoing or repeated past states.

fut

Example:

He was the best player.

Il fut le meilleur joueur.

It was a great day.

Ce fut une grande journée.

Usage: formalContext: Used in literary or formal contexts to indicate a completed action in the past.

Note: The word 'fut' is the simple past form of 'être', often used in written narratives.

étions

Example:

We were friends.

Nous étions amis.

At that time, we were living in Paris.

À ce moment-là, nous étions à Paris.

Usage: formal/informalContext: Used to describe a group state or condition in the past.

Note: This is the first-person plural form of the imperfect tense of 'être'.

étiez

Example:

You were all so helpful.

Vous étiez tous si utiles.

When you were younger, you were very energetic.

Quand vous étiez plus jeunes, vous étiez très énergiques.

Usage: formal/informalContext: Used to address a group in the past.

Note: This is the second-person plural form of the imperfect tense of 'être'.

suis devenu

Example:

He was a doctor before becoming a teacher.

Il était médecin avant de devenir enseignant.

She was an artist before she became a writer.

Elle était artiste avant de devenir écrivain.

Usage: formal/informalContext: Used to denote a change of state or profession in the past.

Note: This structure combines 'was' with 'devenir' to indicate a transition.

Were

Used to indicate the past tense of 'to be' in the plural form.

Example: They were at the park yesterday.

Note: It is used when referring to multiple subjects in the past tense.

Had been

Indicates an action that took place before a certain point in the past.

Example: She had been to Paris before.

Note: It implies a completed action that occurred before another past event.

Had

Expresses an action completed before a specific time in the past.

Example: He had finished his homework by the time his friends arrived.

Note: It is used to indicate completion of an action before a certain point in the past.

Used to be

Describes a past state or habitual action that is no longer true.

Example: She used to be a teacher before she became a writer.

Note: It emphasizes a previous state or action that is no longer the case.

Was up

A casual greeting asking about someone's current state or activities.

Example: Hey, what's up?

Note: The phrase 'Was up' is a colloquial and informal way of saying 'What is up?'

Wasn't born yesterday

To imply that one is not easily deceived or fooled.

Example: I know what you're up to. I wasn't born yesterday.

Note: This phrase uses 'wasn't born yesterday' metaphorically to convey experience and wisdom.

Was a close call

Describes a situation where something dangerous or unpleasant almost happened but was avoided at the last moment.

Example: That car nearly hit me! It was a close call.

Note: The phrase 'was a close call' emphasizes the nearness of the dangerous event.

Was a piece of cake

Indicates that something was very easy to do or accomplish.

Example: The exam was a piece of cake for me.

Note: This phrase uses 'a piece of cake' as a metaphor for something effortless or simple.

Was on cloud nine

To be extremely happy or elated.

Example: After winning the competition, she was on cloud nine.

Note: The phrase 'was on cloud nine' conveys a feeling of euphoria or extreme joy.

Was caught red-handed

To be caught in the act of committing a crime or wrongdoing.

Example: He was caught red-handed stealing from the store.

Note: 'Caught red-handed' refers to being caught in the act, with evidence clearly showing guilt.

Was blown away

To be extremely impressed or amazed by something.

Example: I was blown away by her performance in the play.

Note: The phrase 'was blown away' expresses a strong sense of awe or admiration.

Was a blessing in disguise

Something that initially seems bad or unfortunate but turns out to be beneficial in the long run.

Example: Losing my job was a blessing in disguise as it led me to start my own business.

Note: This phrase uses 'a blessing in disguise' to highlight the hidden positive outcome of a seemingly negative event.

Was in the same boat

To be in a similar situation or facing the same difficulties as someone else.

Example: I lost my luggage too. We were in the same boat.

Note: The phrase 'in the same boat' emphasizes shared circumstances or challenges with another person.

Was cracking

This slang term is used as a casual greeting, similar to 'What's up?' or 'What's going on?'

Example: Hey, what's cracking? Did you hear about the party tonight?

Note: It is more informal and can be considered more conversational than the standard 'What's up?'

Was good

This slang term is a shortened form of 'What is good' or 'What is going on', used as a friendly greeting or to inquire about someone's well-being.

Example: Hey, was good with you? Are you free this weekend?

Note: It is a more relaxed and informal way of asking 'How are you?'

Was popping

This slang term is used to describe something exciting, lively, or happening.

Example: The party last night was popping! The music was great and everyone was dancing.

Note: It conveys a sense of vibrancy and excitement, different from simply saying 'was fun'.

Was the tea

This slang term refers to gossip, news, or the latest information on a particular topic.

Example: Tell me, what's the tea with that new guy in accounting? I heard there's some drama.

Note: It is a playful and colloquial way of asking for or sharing juicy information.

Was lit

This slang term is used to describe something that is exciting, excellent, or impressive.

Example: The concert last night was lit! The band put on an amazing show.

Note: It is more emphatic than saying 'was great' or 'was awesome'.

Was the move

This slang term is used to ask about or suggest a plan of action or activity.

Example: Going to the beach this weekend, what's the move?

Note: It implies a sense of direction or decision-making, unlike just asking 'What are we doing?'

Was Gucci

This slang term is a casual way of saying everything is good, fine, or okay.

Example: Everything is Gucci, don't worry about it.

Note: It is a hip and laid-back expression, similar to saying 'Everything is cool'.

I was tired after work yesterday.

J'étais fatigué après le travail hier.

She was happy to see her friends at the party.

Elle était heureuse de voir ses amis à la fête.

We were late for the meeting this morning.

Nous étions en retard pour la réunion ce matin.

Was - Auxiliary (Auxiliary) / Verb, past tense (Verb, past tense)

Lemma: be

Conjugations

Verb, base form (Verb, base form): be

Verb, past tense (Verb, past tense): was, were

Verb, gerund or present participle (Verb, gerund or present participle): being

Verb, past participle (Verb, past participle): been

Verb, non-3rd person singular present (Verb, non-3rd person singular present): am, are

Verb, 3rd person singular present (Verb, 3rd person singular present): is

Syllabification and Stress

Was Contains 1 syllables: was

Phonetic transcription:

was , (The red syllable is stressed)

The word frequency and importance index indicates how often a word appears in a given language. The smaller the number, the more frequently the word is used. The most frequently used words typically range from about 1 to 4000.

Was: 0 - 100 (Extremely common).

This importance index helps you focus on the most useful words during your language learning process.

Was