Forming the Imperfetto
Only -re is dropped from the infinitive. The endings -vo, -vi, -va, -vamo, -vate, -vano are added to what is left. The vowel before them is the vowel of the verb group: a, e or i.
Imperfetto: parlare, credere, dormire
| Person | -are: parlare | -ere: credere | -ire: dormire |
|---|---|---|---|
| io | parlavo | credevo | dormivo |
| tu | parlavi | credevi | dormivi |
| lui/lei | parlava | credeva | dormiva |
| noi | parlavamo | credevamo | dormivamo |
| voi | parlavate | credevate | dormivate |
| loro | parlavano | credevano | dormivano |
Verbs with -isc- in the present lose it in the Imperfetto: finisco, but finivo.
Lei parlava sempre a voce bassa.
She always spoke quietly.
Da piccoli credevamo a Babbo Natale.
As little kids we believed in Santa Claus.
I bambini dormivano già alle otto.
The children were already asleep at eight.
A few verbs have a different stem but keep these endings: facevo (fare), dicevo (dire), bevevo (bere). Essere has forms of its own: ero, eri, era.
What the Imperfetto is used for
The Imperfetto talks about the past without a fixed endpoint. In English it often corresponds to "used to", habitual "would" or "was/were -ing". A single completed event does not take the Imperfetto.
Habits
What you used to do again and again.
Ogni giorno andavo a scuola a piedi.
Every day I walked to school.
La domenica visitavamo i nonni.
On Sundays we visited our grandparents.
Descriptions and states
What someone or something was like back then, including age.
Mia nonna cucinava molto bene.
My grandmother cooked very well.
La casa aveva un grande giardino.
The house had a big garden.
Avevo dieci anni.
I was ten years old.
Background and simultaneity
The setting of a scene, or two actions going on at the same time, often with mentre (while).
Mentre io cucinavo, Luca guardava la TV.
While I was cooking, Luca was watching TV.
Fuori nevicava e tutti dormivano.
Outside it was snowing and everyone was asleep.
