This is the 2906th most frequent French word.
espérait
"Espérait" means "was hoping."
In this sentence, 'espérait' describes a hope or expectation that the subjects had during a specific past moment.
Ils espéraient une réponse rapide de leur ami.
They were hoping for a quick response from their friend.
The use of 'espérait' here illustrates a feeling of hope for a positive outcome in a future event, perceived from a past perspective.
Elle espérait que tout se passerait bien à son entretien.
She hoped that everything would go well at her interview.
Here, 'espérait' is used to express a wish or desire from the past that may or may not have happened.