How do you say the past tense for word had in french?

The past tense of "had" in French depends on the context. Here are a few possibilities:

1. "Avoir" (to have) in the passé composé:

* If the subject is "I, you (singular), he, she, it, one": "avait"

* If the subject is "we, you (plural), they": "avaient"

Example:

* "J'avais un chien" (I had a dog)

* "Elle avait faim" (She was hungry)

* "Nous avions beaucoup de travail" (We had a lot of work)

2. "Avoir" (to have) in the imparfait:

* For ongoing actions or states in the past: "avais" (for "I", "you (singular)", "he, she, it, one") or "avions" (for "we", "you (plural)", "they")

Example:

* "J'avais froid" (I was cold)

* "Il avait toujours des idées" (He always had ideas)

* "Nous avions besoin de vacances" (We needed a vacation)

3. "Être" (to be) in the passé composé:

* If the verb "had" is used as a past participle of "to be": "était" (for "he, she, it, one") or "étaient" (for "we", "you (plural)", "they")

Example:

* "Il était arrivé à temps" (He had arrived on time)

* "Ils étaient partis en voyage" (They had gone on a trip)

Important Note:

The past tense of "had" in French can be tricky because it depends on the verb it accompanies. To understand which form is needed, you need to consider the context of the sentence and the meaning you wish to convey.