We all have chaotic mornings when nothing goes right. You grab your keys, but then remember your phone. Russian has a specific particle for exactly these situations.
| had started to | было |
The Particle of Thwarted Action
To show that an action was started or intended but suddenly stopped, reversed, or interrupted, place было directly after a past tense verb.
| I had grabbed the keys, but remembered about the phone. | Я схватил было ключи, но вспомнил про телефон. |
| Anna had run out onto the street, but suddenly realized something. | Анна выбежала было на улицу, но спохватилась. |
It translates to "had started to" or "was about to." Because the action is thwarted, the sentence is usually followed by a second clause starting with но (but) to explain what ruined the plan.
| He had been about to slam the door, but suddenly looked back. | Он хлопнул было дверью, но внезапно оглянулся. |
| He had put on his coat, but remembered about the left shoelace. | Он надел было пальто, но вспомнил про левый шнурок. |
Describing the Rest of the Chaos
Of course, not every action is interrupted. When simply describing a sequence of rushed events or physical obstacles, just string regular past tense verbs together.
| I wanted to run out, but my shoelace got stuck. | Я хотел выбежать, но мой шнурок застрял. |
| He suddenly realized something, looked back, and quickly went back. | Он спохватился, оглянулся и быстро пошёл назад. |
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