Language/Italian/Grammar/Imperfect-Tense
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Italian Grammar - Past and Future Tenses > Imperfect Tense
The Imperfect tense is one of the past tenses in Italian language.
Formation
The Imperfect tense is formed by adding specific endings to the stem of the verbs. The endings are -avo, -avi, -ava, -avamo, -avate, -avano for the first conjugation, -evo, -evi, -eva, -evamo, -evate, -evano for the second conjugation, and -ivo, -ivi, -iva, -ivamo, -ivate, -ivano for the third conjugation.
Here's how to form the Imperfect tense for regular verbs (to talk, to eat and to live):
Italian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Io parlavo | ['par'lavo] | I was talking |
Tu parlavi | ['par'lavi] | You were talking |
Egli/ella parlava | [par'laːva] | He/she was talking |
Noi parlavamo | [parla'vamo] | We were talking |
Voi parlavate | [parla'vate] | You (plural) were talking |
Essi/esse parlavano | [parla'vano] | They were talking |
Here's how to form the Imperfect tense for irregular verbs:
Italian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Io ero | ['ɛro] | I was |
Tu (lui/lei) eri | ['ɛri] | You/he/she was |
Noi eravamo | [erava'mo] | We were |
Voi (loro) eravate | [erava'te] | You/they were |
Io facevo | [fa'tʃevo] | I was doing |
Tu facevi | [fa'tʃevi] | You were doing |
Egli/ella faceva | [fa'tʃɛːva] | He/she was doing |
Noi facevamo | [fa'ʃɛvamo] | We were doing |
Voi facevate | [fa'ʃevate] | You (plural) were doing |
Essi/esse facevano | [fa'ʃɛvano] | They were doing |
Usage
The Imperfect tense is used in these cases:
- To describe past habits and repeated actions: Quando ero giovane, andavo spesso al cinema (When I was young, I used to go to the cinema often).
- To describe ongoing past actions: Alle 2 del pomeriggio, io lavoravo ancora (At 2 pm, I was still working).
- To describe the situation or the setting: Era una sera estiva (It was a summer evening).
Examples
- Quando ero bambino, andavo spesso al mare (When I was a child, I used to go to the sea often).
- Studiavo sempre per l'esame di matematica (I was always studying for the math exam).
- Mangiavamo gli spaghetti ai frutti di mare ogni volta che andavamo al ristorante (We used to have seafood spaghetti every time we went to a restaurant).
Exercises
Translate the following sentences into Italian (using the Imperfect tense):
- We used to play soccer every Saturday.
- When I was a student, I used to study in the library.
- She used to live in Paris for ten years.
- The children were playing in the park.
Sources
- The Italian Imperfect Tense Made Easy: A Complete Guide
- How do you form the imperfect tense in Italian? - Grammar
- The Imperfect Tense in Italian | Learn Italian Daily
Related Lessons
- Past Tense
- Conditional Tense
- Condizionale Presente
- Conditional Mood
- Present Tense
- Do and Say
- 0 to A1 Course
- How to Use Have
- Plural
- Future Tense
Videos
Imperfect Tense in Italian: L'imperfetto - YouTube
How to form and use the Italian “Imperfetto” (Italian Imperfect Tense ...
Learn Italian Ep.21 - The Imperfect Tense | Grammar Basics 4 ...
The imperfect tense in Italian: learn it with a game! - YouTube
Italian Grammar: L'imperfetto vs. Passato Prossimo - YouTube