Language/Italian/Grammar/Trapassato-Prossimo

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Italian → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Compound Tenses → Trapassato Prossimo

Introduction

Welcome to the lesson on Trapassato Prossimo, a compound tense in the Italian language. In this lesson, we will learn how to form and use the Trapassato Prossimo tense. This tense is used to talk about past events that happened before another past event. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently use the Trapassato Prossimo tense in your conversations and writing. Are you ready? Let's get started!

Formation of Trapassato Prossimo

To form the Trapassato Prossimo tense, we need to use two elements: the imperfect tense of the auxiliary verb "essere" or "avere" and the past participle of the main verb. Let's take a look at the formation of Trapassato Prossimo with both auxiliary verbs.

Auxiliary Verb "Essere"

When using the auxiliary verb "essere," we need to conjugate it in the imperfect tense according to the subject of the sentence. Here is the conjugation of "essere" in the imperfect tense:

• io ero (I was)
• tu eri (you were)
• lui/lei era (he/she was)
• noi eravamo (we were)
• voi eravate (you all were)
• loro erano (they were)

To form the Trapassato Prossimo with "essere," we simply add the past participle of the main verb to the conjugated form of "essere."

Let's see some examples:

• Io ero andato/a al cinema. (I had gone to the cinema.)
• Tu eri stato/a in vacanza. (You had been on vacation.)
• Lui era arrivato tardi. (He had arrived late.)
• Noi eravamo partiti per Roma. (We had left for Rome.)
• Voi eravate rimasti a casa. (You all had stayed at home.)
• Loro erano usciti con gli amici. (They had gone out with friends.)

Auxiliary Verb "Avere"

When using the auxiliary verb "avere," we need to conjugate it in the imperfect tense according to the subject of the sentence. Here is the conjugation of "avere" in the imperfect tense:

• io avevo (I had)
• tu avevi (you had)
• lui/lei aveva (he/she had)
• noi avevamo (we had)
• voi avevate (you all had)
• loro avevano (they had)

To form the Trapassato Prossimo with "avere," we simply add the past participle of the main verb to the conjugated form of "avere."

Let's see some examples:

• Io avevo mangiato la pizza. (I had eaten the pizza.)
• Tu avevi studiato per l'esame. (You had studied for the exam.)
• Lui aveva comprato un regalo. (He had bought a gift.)
• Noi avevamo visto il film. (We had seen the movie.)
• Voi avevate parlato con il professore. (You all had spoken with the professor.)
• Loro avevano finito il lavoro. (They had finished the work.)

Usage of Trapassato Prossimo

The Trapassato Prossimo tense is used to talk about past events that happened before another past event. It is often used in combination with the Passato Prossimo tense to express a sequence of past actions. Let's look at some situations where we can use the Trapassato Prossimo tense.

Expressing Past Actions

When narrating a story or describing a series of past events, we can use the Trapassato Prossimo tense to talk about actions that happened before another past action. For example:

• Sono arrivato a casa e ho visto che mia madre aveva preparato la cena. (I arrived home and saw that my mother had prepared dinner.)

In this example, the action of arriving home (Passato Prossimo) happened first, and then the action of preparing dinner (Trapassato Prossimo) happened before that.

Talking about Regrets

We can also use the Trapassato Prossimo tense to express regrets or wishes about past events that cannot be changed. For example:

• Avrei voluto studiare di più quando ero giovane. (I wish I had studied more when I was young.)

In this example, the speaker expresses a regret about not studying more in the past (Trapassato Prossimo).

Hypothetical Situations in the Past

The Trapassato Prossimo tense can be used to express hypothetical situations in the past. For example:

• Se avessi saputo che era malato, sarei andato a trovarlo. (If I had known he was sick, I would have visited him.)

In this example, the speaker imagines a hypothetical situation in the past (Trapassato Prossimo) and its consequence (Condizionale Passato).

Irregular Verbs in Trapassato Prossimo

While most verbs follow regular patterns when conjugated in the Trapassato Prossimo tense, there are some verbs that are irregular. Let's look at a few common examples:

• Andare (to go) - io ero andato/a (I had gone)
• Bere (to drink) - io avevo bevuto (I had drunk)
• Dire (to say) - io avevo detto (I had said)
• Fare (to do/make) - io avevo fatto (I had done/made)
• Venire (to come) - io ero venuto/a (I had come)

It is important to memorize the irregular forms of these verbs to use them correctly in the Trapassato Prossimo tense.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have completed the lesson on Trapassato Prossimo, a compound tense in the Italian language. In this lesson, you have learned how to form and use the Trapassato Prossimo tense to talk about past events that happened before another past event. Remember to practice using this tense in your conversations and writing to become more comfortable with it. Keep up the great work, and soon you'll be able to communicate fluently in Italian!

Table of Contents - Italian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

Introduction to Italian Language

• Italian Alphabet
• Nouns and Articles
• Present Tense of Regular Verbs
• Adjectives and Adverbs
• Present Tense of Irregular Verbs

  ---

Daily Life Expressions

• Greetings and Introductions
• Foods and Drinks
• Transportation
• Numbers and Dates

  ---

Italian Culture and Tradition

• Italian Regions and Cities
• Italian Cuisine and Wine
• Italian Art and Music
• Italian Festivals and Celebrations

  ---

Past and Future Tenses

• Passato Prossimo
• Futuro Semplice
• Imperfect Tense
• Condizionale Presente

  ---

Social and Work Life

• Family and Relationships
• Work and Employment
• Shopping and Services
• Tourism and Hospitality

  ---

Italian Literature and Cinema

• Famous Italian Writers and Poets
• Italian Cinema Industry
• Italian Contemporary Art

  ---

Subjunctive and Imperative Moods

• Present Subjunctive
• Imperative Form
• Simple Past Subjunctive
• Conditional Subjunctive

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Science and Technology

• Computer and Technology
• Science and Research
• Environment and Ecology

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Italian Politics and Society

• Contemporary Italian Politics
• Italian Society and Customs
• Religion and Believes

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Compound Tenses

• Trapassato Prossimo
• Trapassato Remoto
• Futuro Anteriore
• Congiuntivo Passato

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Arts and Design

• Fashion and Design
• Music and Performing Arts
• Visual Arts

  ---

Italian Language and Dialects

• Italian Language Variations
• Italian Language in the World
• Italian Language as a Second Language

Sources

• Italian past perfect (trapassato prossimo) grammar lesson
• Trapassato Prossimo: The Italian Past Perfect Tense - The ...
• Italian Past Perfect Tense - Trapassato Prossimo

Other Lessons

• Congiuntivo Passato
• Simple Past Subjunctive
• When use LI and GLI
• Accents
• Definite Articles
• Future Tense
• Present Tense of Regular Verbs
• Definite Articles in Italian
• Past Participle in Italian

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