What is it for?
The congiuntivo imperfetto is used in a subordinate clause when the main clause is in the past or the condizionale (Volevo che venisse, Vorrei che restassi), and after se when a condition is only imagined (Se fossi ricco).
The forms
The three conjugations
| Person | parlare | prendere | dormire |
|---|---|---|---|
| io | parlassi | prendessi | dormissi |
| tu | parlassi | prendessi | dormissi |
| lui / lei | parlasse | prendesse | dormisse |
| noi | parlassimo | prendessimo | dormissimo |
| voi | parlaste | prendeste | dormiste |
| loro | parlassero | prendessero | dormissero |
The endings are highlighted: only the vowel before them changes.
English keeps "I was" and "you were" apart, Italian does not: io and tu have the same form, so Se avessi tempo can mean "if I had time" or "if you had time". When the context does not settle it, add the pronoun. Only the voi form has a single s: parlaste.
Only a few verbs are irregular. Essere, dare and stare have their own stem. Fare, dire and bere use the longer stem of their older infinitives (facere, dicere, bevere).
The irregular verbs
| Infinitive | Stem | io / tu | loro |
|---|---|---|---|
| essere | fo- | fossi | fossero |
| dare | de- | dessi | dessero |
| stare | ste- | stessi | stessero |
| fare | fac- | facessi | facessero |
| dire | dic- | dicessi | dicessero |
| bere | bev- | bevessi | bevessero |
The endings are the same as above.
All the others are regular, even those that are irregular in the present: avere → avessi, potere → potessi, volere → volessi, venire → venissi, andare → andassi.
The irregular verbs in a sentence
Sarebbe bello se facessero più treni la domenica.
It would be nice if they ran more trains on Sundays.
Vorrei che tu mi dicessi la verità.
I'd like you to tell me the truth.
Speravo che steste meglio ormai.
I was hoping you'd be feeling better by now.
What is it used for?
Main clause in the past
When the introducing verb is in the past, the subordinate clause slides from the congiuntivo presente to the congiuntivo imperfetto. English usually hides this: "I wanted Marco to come" has only an infinitive, and "I thought he was at home" looks like a plain past tense. Italian needs a full clause with the congiuntivo.
Volevo che venisse anche Marco.
I wanted Marco to come too.
Credevo che abitassero ancora qui.
I thought they still lived here.
Speravo che tu mi chiamassi.
I was hoping you'd call me.
Main clause in the condizionale
A polite wish in the condizionale (vorrei che, preferirei che) also takes the congiuntivo imperfetto, although it is about the present.
Vorrei che restassi ancora un po'.
I'd like you to stay a bit longer.
Preferirei che non lo sapesse nessuno.
I'd rather nobody knew.
After se
In an imagined condition, se is followed by the congiuntivo imperfetto and the main clause is in the condizionale.
Se trovassi un lavoro qui, resterei.
If I found a job here, I'd stay.
Se non piovesse, andremmo al mare.
If it weren't raining, we'd go to the seaside.
