This is the 11973rd most frequent French word.
tentaient
"Tentaient" means "were trying" or "attempted."
The word 'tentaient' is used here to express an ongoing attempt or effort in the past.
Ils tentaient de résoudre le problème avant la réunion.
They were trying to solve the problem before the meeting.
'Tentaient' is employed to describe an action in progress at a specific moment in the past.
Lorsque je suis arrivé, ils tentaient de trouver une solution.
When I arrived, they were attempting to find a solution.
In this context, 'tentaient' refers to a continuous struggle or effort to accomplish something in the past.