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How to Say ‘It was’ in French

C'était

say ay-TAY

[say ay-TAY]

💬 Usage Tip: C' only appears joined to the next word. In c'était, it contracts before a vowel and can't stand alone.

Phrase Breakdown

[say]

it was

Shortened form of 'ce était' in modern French usage, used to say 'it was.'

Example

C' était une rencontre très utile après le salon.

It was a very useful meeting after the trade fair.

était

[ay-TAY]

was

Imperfect form of 'être' meaning 'was' or 'used to be.'

Example

C'était un moment agréable pour parler de nos projets.

It was a pleasant moment to talk about our projects.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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