Ready to take a trip down memory lane, Italian-style? Say hello to the imperfetto, the Italian imperfect tense to talk about childhood memories, old habits, ongoing events from way back when, and much more! It’s easy to use, with just a few irregular verbs to remember, making it simpler than other complex past tenses!
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Table to Contents
Here’s what we’ll cover in this guide. Click on any title to jump to each section.
- What is the Italian Imperfect tense?
- How to conjugate the Imperfect Tense in Italian
- Essere and Avere in the Imperfect Tense
- Modal verbs in the Imperfect Tense
- How to use the Italian Imperfect Tense
- Time Expressions used with the Italian Imperfect Tense
- Imperfetto vs Passato Prossimo: What’s the difference?
What is the Italian Imperfect tense?
The imperfect tense (in Italian, imperfetto) is a tense in the indicative mood. Unlike the passato remoto and passato prossimo, which are used for completed actions in the past, the imperfect tense tells us about things that happened repeatedly, habitually, or for an unknown period of time in the past. It’s similar to the English past progressive (“I was… -ing”) or the expression “I used to” used for habitual actions.
Some examples:
- Andavo spesso all’oratorio – I used to go to the youth center often
- Quando avevo la tua età, andavo a ballare tutti i fine settimana! – When I was your age, I used to go dancing every weekend!
- Stefano amava cucinare per i suoi amici – Stefano loved cooking for his friends
The word imperfetto comes from the Latin word imperfectum, which literally means “imperfect.” And that’s exactly the point! This tense is “imperfect” because it describes things in an undefined moment in the past, so we know the action was happening, but we don’t know exactly when it began or ended. That’s why our knowledge of it is a bit incomplete, or “imperfect”!
How to conjugate the Imperfect Tense in Italian
Learning to conjugate verbs in the imperfect tense in Italian is pretty easy. Additionally, many verbs that are irregular in other tenses, like the passato remoto, become regular in the imperfect tense, meaning fewer exceptions to memorize!
Regular verbs
To conjugate regular verbs in the imperfect tense, simply follow these steps:
- Take the infinitive form of the verb
- Drop the ending (-are, -ere, -ire).
- Add the correct imperfect tense ending, as shown in the tables below
Tip: As you will notice, the letter “v” is a signature feature of the Italian imperfect tense. So, if you see a verb with a “v” in its conjugation, it’s probably in the imperfetto!
-are verbs
| Italian Imperfect Tense endings for -are verbs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Subject pronoun | Ending | Example (guardare – to watch) |
| Io (I) | – avo | guardavo |
| Tu (You) | – avi | guardavi |
| Lui/Lei (He/She) | – ava | guardava |
| Noi (We) | – avamo | guardavamo |
| Voi (You) | – avate | guardavate |
| Essi (They) | – avano | guardavano |
Examples:
- Guardavamo i cartoni animati solo dopo i compiti – We used to watch cartoons only after finishing our homework.
- Da piccolo mangiavo sempre pane, burro e zucchero – When I was a kid, I used to eat bread, butter, and sugar all the time.
-ere verbs
| Italian Imperfect Tense endings for -ere verbs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Subject pronoun | Ending | Example (ricevere – to receive) |
| Io (I) | – evo | ricevevo |
| Tu (You) | – evi | ricevevi |
| Lui/Lei (He/She) | – eva | riceveva |
| Noi (We) | – evamo | ricevevamo |
| Voi (You) | – evate | ricevevate |
| Essi (They) | – evano | ricevevano |
Examples:
- Ogni Natale, ricevevo un sacco di regali – Every Christmas, I used to receive lots of presents.
- Discutevamo di dove andare in vacanza, quando ci comunicarono la brutta notizia – We were talking about where to go on vacation when we got the bad news.
-ire verbs
| Italian Imperfect Tense endings for -ire verbs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Subject pronouns | Ending | Example (dormire – to sleep) |
| Io (I) | – ivo | dormivo |
| Tu (You) | – ivi | dormivi |
| Lui/Lei (He/She) | – iva | dormiva |
| Noi (We) | – ivamo | dormivamo |
| Voi (You) | – ivate | dormivate |
| Essi (They) | – ivano | dormivano |
Examples:
- Quando stavi con me in vacanza, dormivi sempre fino a tardi! – When you were with me on vacation, you always slept in late!
- In quel ristorante servivano il pollo con una salsa spaziale! – In that restaurant, they served chicken with a fabulous sauce!
Irregular verbs
There are only three irregular verbs to memorize in the imperfect tense. These verbs change they stem slightly and use the regular endings of -ere verbs:
| Irregular verbs in the Italian Imperfect Tense | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject pronoun | Fare (to do) | Bere (to drink) | Dire (to say) |
| Io (I) | facevo | bevevo | dicevo |
| Tu (You) | facevi | bevevi | dicevi |
| Lui/Lei (He/She) | faceva | beveva | diceva |
| Noi (We) | facevamo | bevevamo | dicevamo |
| Voi (You) | facevate | bevevate | dicevate |
| Essi (They) | facevano | bevevano | dicevano |
Some examples:
- Mio nonno beveva sempre un amaro dopo cena – My grandfather always used to drink a bitter liqueur after dinner.
- Antonio diceva di amarmi – Antonio used to say he loved me.
- Mamma faceva la spesa qui – Mum used to do the grocery shopping here.
Essere and Avere in the Imperfect Tense
Essere (to be) is totally irregular in the imperfect tense, changing its stem to “er-” and using unique endings. In contrast, avere (to have) is a regular verb that follows the standard conjugation pattern for -ere verbs:
| Imperfect tense of ESSERE and AVERE | ||
|---|---|---|
| Essere (to be) | Avere (to have) | |
| Io (I) | ero | avevo |
| Tu (You) | eri | avevi |
| Lui/Lei (He/She) | era | aveva |
| Noi (We) | eravamo | avevamo |
| Voi (You) | eravate | avevate |
| Essi (They) | erano | avevano |
Some examples:
- Mia nonna era una donna bellissima – My grandmother was a beautiful woman.
- Quei tre erano inseparabili – Those three were inseparable.
- Anche voi avevate paura del buio da piccoli? – Were you also afraid of the dark when you were kids?
- Da giovane, avevo una macchina rosso fiammante – When I was young, I had a bright red car.
Modal verbs in the Imperfect Tense
Modal verbs are conjugated regularly in the imperfect tense, just like regular -ere verbs:
| Modal verbs in the Imperfect Tense | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dovere (to have to/must) |
Potere (to be able to/can) |
Volere (to want) |
Sapere (to know) |
|
| Io (I) | dovevo | potevo | volevo | sapevo |
| Tu (You) | dovevi | potevi | volevi | sapevi |
| Lui/Lei (He/She) | doveva | poteva | voleva | sapeva |
| Noi (We) | dovevamo | potevamo | volevamo | sapevamo |
| Voi (You) | dovevate | potevate | volevate | sapevate |
| Essi (They) | dovevano | potevano | volevano | sapevano |
Some examples:
- A scuola, dovevamo imparare le poesie a memoria – At school, we had to memorize poems.
- Da ragazzina, potevo uscire solo fino alle dieci di sera – As a young girl, I could only go out until 10 PM.
- Mio nonno non voleva né cani né gatti in casa – My grandfather didn’t want either dogs or cats in the house.
- Già a tre anni, sapeva nuotare come un pesciolino – Already at the age of three, he could swim like a little fish.
How to use the Italian Imperfect Tense
Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with how the imperfetto is conjugated, it’s time to dive into the many ways it can be used. Ready? There are quite a few!
1. To describe what things were like in the past (the weather, places, conditions, etc.):
- Pioveva a catinelle quel giorno – It was raining cats and dogs that day.
- Il corso prevedeva sia lezioni online che giornate in presenza – The course included both online lessons and in-person days.
2.To talk about things we used to do repeatedly or habitually in the past:
- A Pasqua andavamo sempre al mare a casa della nonna – At Easter, we always used to go to the seaside at Grandma’s house.
- Quando vivevo a Pavia, andavo a correre tutte le mattine – When I lived in Pavia, I used to go running every morning.
3. To describe people as they were:
- Lo zio di Mattia aveva una risata contagiosa – Mattia’s uncle had a contagious laugh.
- Greta era una ragazza molto timida – Greta was a very shy girl.
4. To talk about something that was happening and then was interrupted by something else; in this case, the imperfect tense sets the scene and the passato prossimo expresses the interruption:
- Mentre andavo in ufficio, ho incontrato tuo fratello – While I was going to the office, I ran into your brother.
- Passeggiavamo al parco e ha iniziato a piovere – We were walking in the park, and it started to rain.
5. When two actions were going on simultaneously:
- Al liceo, ogni volta che vedevo Matteo in palestra mi scioglievo! – In high school, every time I saw Matteo in the gym I melted!
- Mentre Anna si preparava, Claudio giocava con i bambini – While Anna was getting ready, Claudio was playing with the kids.
6. In everyday conversation, Italians often use the imperfect tense to express something they’re planning but haven’t fully decided on yet:
- Stasera volevo provare quel nuovo ristorante se c’è posto – Tonight I was thinking of trying that new restaurant if there’s a table.
- Domani andavo dal parrucchiere se ho tempo – Tomorrow I was planning to go to the hairdresser if I have time.
7. To express situations where something was just about to happen but didn’t:
- Quasi quasi ci cascavo! – I almost fell for it!
- Per poco ci restavo secco! – I nearly dropped dead!
8. The imperfect tense often replaces the passato remoto to make events feel more intense or emotional, especially in journalism and storytelling:
- L’anziano si ribellava e riusciva a mettere in fuga il ladro (instead of L’anziano si ribellò e riuscì a mettere in fuga il ladro) – The elderly man rebelled and managed to chase away the thief.
- Il 24 febbraio 2003 moriva il grande Alberto Sordi (instead of Il 24 febbraio 2003 morì il grande Alberto Sordi) – On February 24, 2003, the great Alberto Sordi passed away.
9. In Italian, using the imperfect tense instead of the present or conditional often makes requests sound more polite or less direct. This is used also when dealing with a somewhat embarrassing situation:
- Volevamo sapere se è possibile prenotare un tavolo – We wanted to know if it is possible to book a table.
- Scusi, cercavo il bagno – Excuse me, I was looking for the bathroom.
10. In casual speech, the imperfect tense can sometimes replace the past conditional to talk about what could have or should have happened:
- Era meglio se andavamo in quell’altro ristorante (instead of Sarebbe stato meglio se fossimo andati in quell’altro ristorante) – It would’ve been better if we had gone to the other restaurant.
- Se seguivi le istruzioni, a quest’ora avevamo finito (instead of Se avessi seguito le istruzioni, a quest’ora avremmo finito) – If you had followed the instructions, we would’ve finished by now.
11. In casual speech, the imperfetto is often used instead of the past conditional with verbs like dovere (to have to), potere (to be able to), and credere (to believe) to express potentiality in the past:
- Dovevo capirlo subito che eri un bugiardo (instead of Avrei dovuto capirlo subito che eri un bugiardo) – I should’ve realized right away that you were a liar.
- Non credevo mai che arrivava in tempo (instead of Non avrei mai creduto che sarebbe arrivato in tempo) – I never thought he’d arrive on time.
12. Finally, when reporting on plans or intentions in the past, the imperfect tense can replace the conditional in casual conversations:
- Hanno detto che venivano in macchina (instead of Hanno detto che sarebbero venuti in macchina) – They said they were coming by car.
- Ha confermato che veniva con sua moglie (instead of Ha confermato che sarebbe venuto con sua moglie) – He confirmed he was coming with his wife.
Time expressions used with the Italian Imperfect Tense
To give the sentences that sense of continuity or habit, Italians often pair the imperfect tense with vague time expressions that don’t point to precise moments but rather express “how things used to be.” These include:
| Time expressions with Italian Imperfect Tense | |
|---|---|
| Italian | English translation |
| A quel tempo | At that time, back then |
| Da bambino/a | As a kid |
| Da giovane | When I was young |
| Di solito | Usually |
| Di tanto in tanto | From time to time |
| Normalmente | Normally |
| Ogni anno/mese/estate/Natale… | Every year/month/summer/Christmas… |
| Ogni tanto | Every now and then |
| Sempre | Always |
| Spesso | Often |
Some examples:
- A quel tempo avevamo meno cose, ma eravamo più felici – At that time, we had fewer things, but we were happier
- Normalmente si lavorava anche nei fine settimana – Normally, people worked even on weekends
- Ci sentivamo di tanto in tanto, ma niente di serio – We used to hear from each other from time to time, but nothing serious
Imperfetto vs Passato Prossimo: What’s the difference?
Imperfect tense and Passato Prossimo are the two most common ways to talk about the past in Italian and it’s normal to feel a little confused when trying to decide which one to use, but don’t worry! Let’s break it down into simple terms.
Both tenses describe actions that happened in the past, but they do so from different perspectives:
The imperfect tense is used to describe actions that occurred regularly in the past, providing background information.
- Da piccoli mangiavamo sempre la pizza con le patatine –When we were kids, we always ate pizza with fries.
- Da ragazzina vestivo sempre di rosso – When I was a girl, I always wore red.
The passato prossimo is used to express events that happened at a well-defined moment in the past and are not that distant or feel still relevant
- Ieri sera abbiamo mangiato la pizza con le patatine – Last night, we ate pizza with fries.
- Ho sempre amato il colore rosso – I’ve always loved the colour red.
Interestingly, the meanings of modal verbs can change depending on whether you use the imperfect tense or the passato prossimo. Here’s the trick to remember:
If the outcome of an action is certain, meaning we know that it definitely happened, we use the passato prossimo:
- Ho voluto parlarle in privato → I wanted to talk to her in private.
- Gianni ha saputo cosa dire in quella situazione → Gianni knew what to say in that situation.
Conversely, if the outcome of an action is uncertain, meaning we do not know if it actually took place, we use the imperfect tense:
- Volevo parlarle in privato → I wanted to talk to her in private (we don’t know if the speaker actually did it).
- Gianni sapeva cosa dire in quella situazione → Gianni knew what to say in that situation (Sure, he knew what to say, but did he actually say it? Again, we’re unsure, so we use imperfetto).
Don’t miss my guide which further explains when to use Passato Prossimo and Imperfetto.
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