French Phrase
Ils étaient assez chers.
Meaning
The sentence states that ‘they were quite expensive.’ It describes a past situation where the price of several items, tickets, or services was higher than expected, but not necessarily outrageously so.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are recalling a previous purchase, a trip, a concert, or any situation where you want to comment on the cost of multiple masculine‑gender items in the past.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ilsétaientassezchers
Ils (subject pronoun)
Third‑person plural masculine pronoun meaning “they”. It must agree with the verb and any adjectives that follow.
étaient (imparfait of être)
Imperfect tense of “to be”, used for a past, ongoing or descriptive state. Conjugated as ils/elles étaient.
assez (adverb)
Means “quite” or “fairly”. Placed before the adjective it modifies; it does not change form.
chers (adjective, plural masculine)
The masculine plural form of “cher” (expensive). Must agree in number and gender with the noun it describes.
🗨In Conversation
Comment étaient les billets pour le concert?
How were the tickets for the concert?
Ils étaient assez chers, mais le spectacle en valait la peine.
They were quite expensive, but the show was worth it.
✕Common Mistakes
Ils sont assez chers.
The verb must stay in the imperfect (étaient). Using the present “sont” changes the time reference.
Ils étaient assez cher.
The adjective must agree with the plural subject; “cher” (singular) is incorrect here.
Ils étaient chers assez.
Placing “assez” after the adjective is wrong; it must precede the adjective.
↔Alternatives
Ils coûtaient assez cher.
They cost fairly much.
Ils étaient plutôt chers.
They were rather expensive.
Ils étaient un peu chers.
They were a little expensive.
Cultural Tip
In French, saying something is “cher” can sound blunt. Adding modifiers like “assez”, “plutôt” or “un peu” softens the comment and is considered more polite, especially in a professional context. Also, French speakers often compare price to perceived value, so you might hear “c’est cher, mais c’est de bonne qualité.”