{"id":16619,"date":"2018-07-02T18:44:52","date_gmt":"2018-07-02T16:44:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=16619"},"modified":"2018-07-23T10:42:32","modified_gmt":"2018-07-23T08:42:32","slug":"how-to-use-the-imperfetto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/how-to-use-the-imperfetto\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Use The Imperfetto"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today we’re going to continue exploring the complex topic of using the past tense in Italian.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Using The Passato Prossimo In Italian \u2013 Part 1<\/a><\/span><\/strong> and Part 2<\/span><\/strong><\/a> we looked at how to construct the present perfect tense using the auxiliary verbs essere<\/strong> and avere<\/strong> followed by a past participle. Whereas the passato prossimo<\/strong> describes an event which has been completed in the past, the imperfetto<\/strong> (imperfect) describes past actions that are incomplete, or that took place over a period of time.<\/p>\n

You can recognise the imperfetto<\/strong> by its characteristic endings -evo<\/strong>, -avo <\/strong>or –<\/strong>ivo<\/strong>.
\nHere, for example, is the verb avere<\/strong> (to have) in the imperfetto<\/strong>:
\nio avevo<\/strong> – I had
\ntu avevi<\/strong> – you had
\nlui\/lei aveva<\/strong> – he\/she\/it had
\nnoi avevamo<\/strong> – we had
\nvoi avevate<\/strong> – you (plural<\/em>) had
\nloro avevano<\/strong> – they had<\/p>\n

The exception to this pattern is the irregular verb essere<\/strong> (to be).
\nio<\/strong> ero <\/strong>– I was
\ntu eri <\/strong>– you were
\nlui\/lei era <\/strong>– he\/she\/it was
\nnoi eravamo<\/strong> – we were
\nvoi eravate <\/strong>– you (plural<\/em>) were
\nloro erano<\/strong> – they were<\/p>\n

Now, the million dollar question is: ‘How do I know when to use the passato prossimo<\/strong> and when to use the imperfetto<\/strong>?’<\/em> Well, that’s what we’re here to clarify, so let’s get to it!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

La vecchia locomotiva a vapore avanzava molto lentamente<\/strong>. The old steam locomotive advanced very slowly. Photo by Geoff.<\/span><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

We use the imperfetto <\/strong><\/span>to:<\/p>\n

1) describe the way that people, objects or places were in the past.
\nexamples:<\/em>
\nda piccola avevo <\/span>i capelli ricci<\/strong> = when I was a child I had curly hair
\nera <\/span>un uomo buffo = <\/strong>he was a humorous man
\nla strada era <\/span>fangosa = <\/strong>the road was muddy<\/p>\n

2) describe situations and factual conditions (used a lot in literature)
\nexamples:<\/em>
\nla citt\u00e0 era <\/span>deserta, non si vedeva <\/span>un’anima<\/strong> = the town was empty, there was not a soul to be seen
\nera <\/span>buio e la pioggia cadeva <\/span>gentilmente<\/strong> = it was dark and a light rain was falling<\/p>\n

3) describe states of mind or health
\nexamples:<\/em>
\navevo<\/span> sonno<\/strong> = I was sleepy
\ngli faceva<\/span> male la testa<\/strong> = he had a headache
\nerano<\/span> tristi<\/strong> = they were sad<\/p>\n

4) describe what used to happen, such as habits or actions that repeated themselves
\n<\/strong>examples:<\/em>
\nda ragazzi, ci incontravamo<\/span> al cinema\u00a0ogni sabato mattina = <\/strong>when we we’re kids\u00a0we met up at the cinema every Saturday morning
\nd\u2019estate andavo<\/span> sempre a Montorio con la mia famiglia<\/strong> = I always used to go to Montorio with my family in the summer\u00a0
\nil cane correva<\/span> alla porta ogni volta che suonava<\/span> il campanello<\/strong> = the dog would run to the door whenever the doorbell rang<\/p>\n

Sometimes you’ll find both the imperfetto <\/strong><\/span>and the passato prossimo<\/strong><\/span> in the same sentence.
\nexamples:
\nmentre guardavo<\/span> la televisione \u00e8 suonato<\/span> il telefono<\/strong> = while I was watching television the phone rang
\ndov\u2019eri<\/span> quando \u00e8 arrivato<\/span> Giovanni?<\/strong> = where were you when Giovanni arrived?
\nquando ci siamo svegliati<\/span> pioveva<\/span><\/strong> = when we woke up it was raining<\/p>\n

N.B. when the exact time or duration of an action is specified we use the passato prossimo<\/span>
\n<\/strong>examples:
\nGiovanni \u00e8 vissuto<\/span> in Inghilterra dal 2002 al 2007<\/strong> = Giovanni lived in England from 2002 to 2007
\nha studiato<\/span> l’inglese per cinque anni<\/strong> = he studied English for five years
\nYet if we want to talk about the things that Giovanni did regularly or habitually during the period of time that he was in England we would use the imperfetto<\/strong><\/span>:
\nquestion:<\/em> cosa faceva<\/span> Giovanni in Inghilterra?<\/strong> = what did Giovanni do whilst he was in England
\nanswer:<\/em> studiava<\/span> l’inglese, visitava<\/span> musei, andava<\/span> a concerti, faceva<\/span> amicizie …<\/strong> = he studied English, visited museums, went to concerts, made friends …<\/p>\n

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to leave a comment. A presto.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Today we’re going to continue exploring the complex topic of using the past tense in Italian. In Using The Passato Prossimo In Italian \u2013 Part 1 and Part 2 we looked at how to construct the present perfect tense using the auxiliary verbs essere and avere followed by a past participle. Whereas the passato prossimo…<\/p>\n

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