This is the 12291st most frequent French word.
écoulait
"Écoulait" means "was flowing" or "was passing."
The verb 's'écoulait' is used to convey the passing of time in an impressionistic way.
Le temps s'écoulait rapidement alors que nous nous amusions.
Time flew by quickly as we had fun.
Here, 's'écoulait' describes the physical action of water flowing through a designated path.
L'eau s'écoulait lentement dans le ruisseau.
The water flowed slowly in the stream.
In this instance, 's'écoulait' signifies time passing in a more reflective or unnoticed manner.