Translation of "Perguntavam" in English

Mas as pessoas me perguntavam:

But there people asked me,

As pessoas se perguntavam por que Sami fala em árabe.

People wondered why Sami spoke in Arabic.

Quando os homens do lugar lhe perguntavam pela mulher, ele dizia que era sua irmã, temendo confessar que se tratava de sua esposa, pois pensava que talvez o matassem por causa de Rebeca, que era muito bonita.

And when he was asked by the men of that place, concerning his wife, he answered: She is my sister: for he was afraid to confess that she was his wife, thinking lest perhaps they would kill him because of her beauty.