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asteptam

I was waiting (imperfect tense of "a aștepta", to wait) /aʃtepˈtam/

verb#2766 most common

Also: we were waiting, I used to wait, I was expecting

Example sentences

Te așteptam la ușă.
I was waiting for you at the door.
Așteptam autobuzul în stație.
I was waiting for the bus at the stop.
Așteptam un telefon important de la șeful meu.
I was waiting for an important call from my boss.
Când ai sunat, te așteptam de o oră.
When you called, I had been waiting for you for an hour.
Noi te așteptam cu nerăbdare să te întorci acasă.
We were eagerly waiting for you to come back home.
Așteptam, resemnat, ca timpul să macine orice urmă de speranță.
I was waiting, resigned, for time to grind away every trace of hope.

Conjugation

Present ActiveSimple Past ActiveSimple Future Active
1sgașteptam așteptatvoi aștepta
2sgaștepțiai așteptatvei aștepta
3sgașteaptăa așteptatva aștepta
1plașteptămam așteptatvom aștepta
2plașteptațiați așteptatveți aștepta
3plașteaptăau așteptatvor aștepta

Word family

a așteptato wait, to expect
așteptarewaiting, expectation
neașteptatunexpected
așteptatawaited, expected

Etymology

Așteptam is the imperfect tense of the verb a aștepta, to wait. The verb descends from Latin aspectare, a frequentative form of aspicere meaning to look at or watch for. Over time the sense of watching narrowed to watching for someone's arrival, then simply waiting. The prefix a- reflects the Latin ad-, and the stem carries the old meaning of directed sight.

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