{"id":720,"date":"2013-05-15T13:41:35","date_gmt":"2013-05-15T11:41:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/?p=720"},"modified":"2026-05-17T23:08:26","modified_gmt":"2026-05-17T14:08:26","slug":"imperfetto-an-italian-past-tense-quiz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/imperfetto-an-italian-past-tense-quiz\/","title":{"rendered":"Italian Imperfetto: Forms, Uses and When to Use It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udd0d <strong>In short.<\/strong> <em>The <strong>italian imperfetto<\/strong> is the past tense for what <em>was happening<\/em>, not what <em>happened once<\/em>. Its endings are almost completely regular (<em>-vo, -vi, -va, -vamo, -vate, -vano<\/em>: <em>parlavo, credevo, dormivo<\/em>) with only four real irregulars (<em>ero, facevo, dicevo, bevevo<\/em>). You use it for habits (<em>da bambino giocavo<\/em>), descriptions and background (<em>era una bella giornata, faceva freddo<\/em>), ongoing actions interrupted by another, and for age, time and weather in the past. This A2 guide gives the forms, the four uses, and the imperfetto-versus-passato-prossimo line.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The italian imperfetto is the friendliest past tense to form, almost no irregulars, and the trickiest to place, because English collapses several of its jobs into a plain &#8220;did&#8221; or &#8220;was doing&#8221;. Get the four uses straight and most past-tense storytelling falls into place. The single mental move that makes it all click is this: stop asking &#8220;is this past?&#8221; and start asking &#8220;is this the background or the event?&#8221;. A film scene makes it concrete, the lighting, the weather, what people were wearing and doing is all italian imperfetto; the one thing that then happens, the door slamming, the phone ringing, is passato prossimo. Every rule below is just that question applied to a different situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" \/>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-toc-im\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-toc-h-im gb-headline-text\" style=\"text-align:center;font-size:24px\">Cosa impareremo oggi<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc46\ud83c\udffb Jump to section<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#what\">What the imperfetto really is<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#forms\">The endings: -vo, -vi, -va<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#irregular\">The only four irregulars<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#habit\">Use 1: habits in the past<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#description\">Use 2: description and background<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#ongoing\">Use 3: interrupted ongoing action<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#age-time\">Use 4: age, time, weather<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#vs-pp\">Imperfetto vs passato prossimo<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#mental\">Mental verbs: sapevo or ho saputo?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#polite\">The polite imperfetto: volevo<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#spelling\">No spelling tricks here<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#other-uses\">Two extra uses: playful and colloquial<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#mistakes\">Common mistakes English speakers make<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#dialog\">Dialog: a grandmother remembers Lucca<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#cheat-sheet\">Cheat sheet: forms and uses<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#challenge\">Mini-challenge<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#related\">Related guides<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#quiz\">Quiz<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what\">What the imperfetto really is<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The italian imperfetto is the past seen from the inside. It describes an action while it was unfolding, with no attention to where it started or stopped: <em>pioveva<\/em> (&#8220;it was raining&#8221;) tells you the rain was going on, not when it began or ended. Italian grammar calls this the imperfective aspect, and it is the key to the whole tense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A useful image: with the italian imperfetto you are swimming inside the lake, the edges out of focus; with the passato prossimo you are flying over the lake and can see exactly where it begins and ends. Same past, two perspectives, and that single idea explains every use below.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-focus-im-1\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udd0d <strong>One idea.<\/strong> <em>The italian imperfetto answers &#8220;what was going on \/ how were things?&#8221;, never &#8220;what happened next?&#8221;. If the action has clear start-and-finish in focus, it is not the imperfetto.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"forms\">The endings: -vo, -vi, -va<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The italian imperfetto has one set of endings for all three conjugations, added to the stem: <em>-vo, -vi, -va, -vamo, -vate, -vano<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>parlare<\/em> &rarr; parlavo, parlavi, parlava, parlavamo, parlavate, parlavano<\/li>\n<li><em>credere<\/em> &rarr; credevo, credevi, credeva, credevamo, credevate, credevano<\/li>\n<li><em>dormire<\/em> &rarr; dormivo, dormivi, dormiva, dormivamo, dormivate, dormivano<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is the whole system. Take the infinitive, drop <em>-re<\/em>, keep the theme vowel (a\/e\/i), add the endings. The italian imperfetto is by far the most regular tense in the whole language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"irregular\">The only four irregulars<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Almost nothing is irregular in the italian imperfetto. Four high-frequency verbs change the stem, and they are worth memorising on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>essere<\/em> &rarr; ero, eri, era, eravamo, eravate, erano<\/li>\n<li><em>fare<\/em> &rarr; facevo, facevi, faceva, facevamo, facevate, facevano<\/li>\n<li><em>dire<\/em> &rarr; dicevo, dicevi, diceva, dicevamo, dicevate, dicevano<\/li>\n<li><em>bere<\/em> &rarr; bevevo, bevevi, beveva, bevevamo, bevevate, bevevano<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-focus-im-2\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udd0d <strong>Only essere is wild.<\/strong> <em>fare, dire, bere just recover their old longer stem (face-, dice-, beve-) and then take normal endings. Only essere (ero, era, erano) is genuinely irregular in the italian imperfetto.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"habit\">Use 1: habits in the past<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first job of the italian imperfetto is the repeated past: things you used to do, the English &#8220;used to&#8221; or &#8220;would&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Da bambino giocavo a pallone ogni pomeriggio.<\/em><br>As a child I used to play football every afternoon.<\/li>\n<li><em>Quando vivevamo a Lucca, andavamo al mare ogni estate.<\/em><br>When we lived in Lucca, we went to the sea every summer.<\/li>\n<li><em>La nonna cucinava sempre la domenica.<\/em><br>Grandma always cooked on Sundays.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Time words like <em>sempre, ogni, di solito, tutti i giorni, da bambino<\/em> are a strong signal for the italian imperfetto: a repeated, unbounded habit, not one event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"description\">Use 2: description and background<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The second job of the italian imperfetto is painting the scene: how things and people were, the backdrop of a story.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Era una bella giornata, faceva caldo e non c&#8217;era vento.<\/em><br>It was a lovely day, it was hot and there was no wind.<\/li>\n<li><em>Lorenzo era alto, magro e portava gli occhiali.<\/em><br>Lorenzo was tall, thin and wore glasses.<\/li>\n<li><em>La casa aveva un grande giardino e sapeva di legno.<\/em><br>The house had a big garden and smelled of wood.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Description is pure background, no events move forward, so it is the italian imperfetto: <em>era, aveva, faceva, c&#8217;era, portava<\/em>. This is why story openings (&#8220;Once upon a time there was&#8230;&#8221;) are always imperfetto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ongoing\">Use 3: interrupted ongoing action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The third job: an action that was already going on when something else happened. The ongoing part is the italian imperfetto; the interruption is the passato prossimo.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Mentre leggevo, \u00e8 suonato il telefono.<\/em><br>While I was reading, the phone rang.<\/li>\n<li><em>Dormivamo quando \u00e8 arrivato il temporale.<\/em><br>We were sleeping when the storm arrived.<\/li>\n<li><em>Mentre Caterina studiava, Lorenzo preparava la cena.<\/em><br>While Caterina was studying, Lorenzo was making dinner. (two parallel backgrounds)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Mentre<\/em> (&#8220;while&#8221;) almost always takes the italian imperfetto. Two simultaneous ongoing actions are both imperfetto; a single short interruption inside a longer scene is passato prossimo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"age-time\">Use 4: age, time, weather<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The fourth job groups the &#8220;states&#8221; of the past: how old, what time, what weather, how you felt.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Avevo dieci anni quando ho cambiato scuola.<\/em><br>I was ten when I changed school.<\/li>\n<li><em>Erano le otto e pioveva forte.<\/em><br>It was eight o&#8217;clock and it was raining hard.<\/li>\n<li><em>Ero stanco e avevo fame.<\/em><br>I was tired and hungry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Age (<em>avevo dieci anni<\/em>), clock time (<em>erano le otto<\/em>), weather (<em>pioveva, faceva freddo<\/em>) and feelings in the past are all states, so they are the italian imperfetto, even inside a sentence whose main event is passato prossimo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"vs-pp\">Imperfetto vs passato prossimo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the line every learner needs. The italian imperfetto is the background and the duration; the passato prossimo is the single, completed event that moves the story forward.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Ieri \u00e8 stata una bella giornata, ma faceva freddo.<\/em><br>Yesterday was a lovely day (finished event), but it was cold (background state).<\/li>\n<li><em>Leggevo<\/em> (I was reading, ongoing) versus <em>ho letto il libro<\/em> (I read the book, done).<\/li>\n<li><em>Mentre tornavo a casa, ho incontrato Elena.<\/em><br>While I was coming home (background), I met Elena (event).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rule of thumb: if you could add &#8220;every day&#8221; or &#8220;for a while&#8221;, it is the italian imperfetto; if it is one finished thing that happened, it is passato prossimo. There is a dedicated guide on this contrast, linked at the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mental\">Mental verbs: sapevo or ho saputo?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A classic trap. With verbs like <em>sapere, conoscere, volere, potere, dovere<\/em>, the italian imperfetto is the state and the passato prossimo is the moment it changed.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Sapevo che eri a Modena.<\/em> = I knew (state) you were in Modena.<br><em>Ho saputo che eri a Modena.<\/em> = I found out (moment) you were in Modena.<\/li>\n<li><em>Conoscevo Elena<\/em> = I knew Elena. \/ <em>Ho conosciuto Elena<\/em> = I met Elena (first time).<\/li>\n<li><em>Volevo partire<\/em> = I wanted to leave. \/ <em>Ho voluto partire<\/em> = I decided (and did) leave.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So with these verbs the italian imperfetto is &#8220;I was in that state&#8221;, the passato prossimo is &#8220;the state began \/ I acted&#8221;. Same verb, very different meaning. A quick test that almost always works: translate into English and see which fits, &#8220;I knew \/ I could \/ I wanted&#8221; (a continuing state, italian imperfetto) or &#8220;I found out \/ I managed \/ I decided&#8221; (a turning point, passato prossimo). <em>Non potevo dormire<\/em> is &#8220;I couldn&#8217;t sleep&#8221; (the whole night, a state); <em>non sono riuscito a dormire<\/em> is &#8220;I didn&#8217;t manage to sleep&#8221; (the attempt failed, an outcome). Keeping that English pair in mind stops most of the errors learners make with these five verbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"polite\">The polite imperfetto: volevo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One last everyday use: the italian imperfetto softens a request. <em>Volevo<\/em> instead of <em>voglio<\/em> makes you sound polite, not past.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Volevo un&#8217;informazione, per favore.<\/em><br>I&#8217;d like some information, please. (softer than &#8220;voglio&#8221;)<\/li>\n<li><em>Buongiorno, cercavo il signor Bianchi.<\/em><br>Good morning, I was looking for Mr Bianchi. (polite)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This &#8220;polite imperfetto&#8221; is everywhere in shops and offices. <em>Volevo, cercavo, pensavo, dicevo<\/em> are not really past here; the italian imperfetto just takes the edge off the request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"spelling\">No spelling tricks here<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A relief after the present tense: the italian imperfetto has no spelling adjustments. Verbs that change letters in the present (<em>cercare<\/em> &rarr; <em>cerchi<\/em>, <em>mangiare<\/em> &rarr; <em>mangi<\/em>) behave perfectly regularly here, because the ending always starts with <em>-v-<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>cercare<\/em> &rarr; cercavo, cercavi, cercava (no <em>h<\/em>: not &#8220;cerchavo&#8221;)<\/li>\n<li><em>mangiare<\/em> &rarr; mangiavo, mangiavi (the <em>i<\/em> stays, no contraction)<\/li>\n<li><em>studiare<\/em> &rarr; studiavo \u00b7 <em>cominciare<\/em> &rarr; cominciavo \u00b7 <em>pagare<\/em> &rarr; pagavo<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So forget the <em>-care\/-gare\/-ciare\/-giare<\/em> headaches of the present: in the italian imperfetto you simply take the stem and add <em>-vo, -vi, -va<\/em>. One more reason it is the easiest tense to build, and a good one to over-practise early, because its regularity frees your attention for the genuinely hard part, which is choosing when to use it rather than how to form it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"other-uses\">Two extra uses: playful and colloquial<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond the four core jobs, the italian imperfetto has two everyday extras worth recognising.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Playful (children&#8217;s games)<\/strong>: <em>Facciamo che io ero il re e tu eri il drago.<\/em><br>Let&#8217;s pretend I was the king and you were the dragon. (setting up a game)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Colloquial hypothetical<\/strong>: <em>Se lo sapevo, non venivo.<\/em><br>If I&#8217;d known, I wouldn&#8217;t have come. (very common in speech instead of <em>se l&#8217;avessi saputo, non sarei venuto<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The playful imperfetto opens almost every Italian child&#8217;s game. The colloquial hypothetical is informal: Italians say <em>se lo sapevo non venivo<\/em> constantly, but in writing and exams use the full subjunctive-plus-conditional. Recognise the spoken italian imperfetto, produce the standard form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mistakes\">Common mistakes English speakers make<\/h2>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Using the passato prossimo for a habit: not <em>ogni estate siamo andati<\/em> but <em>ogni estate andavamo<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>Using the imperfetto for a single finished event: not <em>ieri scrivevo una mail<\/em> but <em>ieri ho scritto una mail<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>Age and time with the wrong tense: it is <em>avevo dieci anni<\/em>, <em>erano le otto<\/em>, never the passato prossimo.<\/li>\n<li>Making <em>essere<\/em> regular: it is <em>ero, eri, era<\/em>, not &#8220;essevo&#8221;.<\/li>\n<li>Translating &#8220;I knew&#8221; always as <em>ho saputo<\/em>: a known state is <em>sapevo<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"dialog\">Dialog: a grandmother remembers Lucca<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Caterina asks her grandmother what life was like in Lucca decades ago. Listen for the italian imperfetto in every description and habit.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-dialog-im\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffd\u200d\ud83e\uddb1 <strong>Caterina:<\/strong> Nonna, com&#8217;era Lucca quando eri giovane?<br><em>Grandma, what was Lucca like when you were young?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffb\u200d\ud83e\uddb3 <strong>Nonna:<\/strong> Era pi\u00f9 tranquilla. Non c&#8217;erano tante macchine e si andava ovunque in bicicletta.<br><em>It was quieter. There weren&#8217;t many cars and you went everywhere by bike.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffd\u200d\ud83e\uddb1 <strong>Caterina:<\/strong> E tu cosa facevi da ragazza?<br><em>And what did you do as a girl?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffb\u200d\ud83e\uddb3 <strong>Nonna:<\/strong> Lavoravo in una sartoria. Avevo sedici anni e mi piaceva molto cucire.<br><em>I worked in a tailor&#8217;s shop. I was sixteen and I really liked sewing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffd\u200d\ud83e\uddb1 <strong>Caterina:<\/strong> Ti ricordi un giorno in particolare?<br><em>Do you remember a particular day?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffb\u200d\ud83e\uddb3 <strong>Nonna:<\/strong> S\u00ec. Mentre tornavo a casa sotto la pioggia, ho conosciuto tuo nonno.<br><em>Yes. While I was walking home in the rain, I met your grandfather.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffd\u200d\ud83e\uddb1 <strong>Caterina:<\/strong> Che bello! Pioveva e tu non avevi l&#8217;ombrello, scommetto.<br><em>How lovely! It was raining and you didn&#8217;t have an umbrella, I bet.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The whole memory is italian imperfetto for the scene (<em>era, c&#8217;erano, lavoravo, avevo, pioveva<\/em>) and one passato prossimo for the event that changed everything (<em>ho conosciuto<\/em>). That is the shape of almost every real story an Italian tells you: a long imperfetto backdrop, then the single passato prossimo that the whole anecdote is actually about. Train your ear on that rhythm, paragraphs of <em>era \/ faceva \/ andavamo<\/em> punctuated by one sharp <em>\u00e8 successo<\/em>, and you will both understand native storytelling and produce it correctly yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cheat-sheet\">Cheat sheet: forms and uses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One table for the italian imperfetto. Keep it open while you do the quiz.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-cheat-im\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Item<\/th><th>Form \/ rule<\/th><th>Example<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>endings<\/td><td>-vo -vi -va -vamo -vate -vano<\/td><td>parlavo, credevo, dormivo<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>essere<\/td><td>irregular<\/td><td>ero, eri, era, eravamo, erano<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>fare \/ dire \/ bere<\/td><td>long stem + endings<\/td><td>facevo, dicevo, bevevo<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>habit<\/td><td>used to \/ would<\/td><td>da bambino giocavo<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>description<\/td><td>background, no event<\/td><td>era, faceva freddo<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>interrupted<\/td><td>mentre + imperfetto<\/td><td>mentre leggevo, \u00e8 suonato<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>age \/ time \/ weather<\/td><td>states in the past<\/td><td>avevo 10 anni, erano le 8<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>polite<\/td><td>softened request<\/td><td>volevo un&#8217;informazione<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"challenge\">Mini-challenge<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-task-im\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83c\udfaf <strong>Mini-challenge.<\/strong> Imperfetto or passato prossimo? Put the verb in the right past tense, then read aloud.<\/p>\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Da bambino (giocare, io) _____ a calcio ogni giorno.<\/li>\n<li>Mentre (leggere, io) _____, (suonare) _____ il telefono.<\/li>\n<li>Ieri (essere) _____ una bella giornata.<\/li>\n<li>(Avere, io) _____ vent&#8217;anni quando mi sono trasferito.<\/li>\n<li>(Conoscere, io) _____ Elena alla festa di Lorenzo. (= I met)<\/li>\n<li>Scusi, (volere, io) _____ un&#8217;informazione.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<details><summary><strong>\ud83d\udc49 Show answers<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p>1. <strong>giocavo<\/strong> (habit) \u00b7 2. <strong>leggevo<\/strong> \/ <strong>\u00e8 suonato<\/strong> \u00b7 3. <strong>\u00e8 stata<\/strong> (finished day) \u00b7 4. <strong>avevo<\/strong> (age) \u00b7 5. <strong>ho conosciuto<\/strong> (event) \u00b7 6. <strong>volevo<\/strong> (polite)<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"quiz\">Test your understanding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The quiz below drills the italian imperfetto: the endings, the four irregulars, the four uses and the line with the passato prossimo. Take it after the cheat sheet.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-quiz-im\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n        <div class=\"wpProQuiz_content\" id=\"wpProQuiz_125\">\n                    <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_time_limit\">\n            <div class=\"time\">Time limit: <span>0<\/span><\/div>\n            <div class=\"wpProQuiz_progress\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                <div class=\"wpProQuiz_checkPage\" style=\"display: none;\">\n            <h4 class=\"wpProQuiz_header\">Quiz-summary<\/h4>\n\n            <p>\n                <span>0<\/span> of 2 questions completed            <\/p>\n\n            <p>Questions:<\/p>\n\n            <div style=\"margin-bottom: 20px;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_box\">\n                <ol>\n                                            <li>1<\/li>\n                                            <li>2<\/li>\n                                    <\/ol>\n                <div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n            \n            <input type=\"button\" name=\"endQuizSummary\" value=\"Finish quiz\"\n                   class=\"wpProQuiz_button\">\n        <\/div>\n                <div class=\"wpProQuiz_infopage\" style=\"display: none;\">\n            <h4>Information<\/h4>\n\n            \n            <input type=\"button\" name=\"endInfopage\" value=\"Finish quiz\"\n                   class=\"wpProQuiz_button\">\n        <\/div>\n                <div class=\"wpProQuiz_text\">\n            <p>\n                <p style=\"text-align:center;\">&#8211;<\/p>\n            <\/p>\n\n            \n            <div>\n                <input class=\"wpProQuiz_button\" type=\"button\" value=\"Start quiz\"\n                       name=\"startQuiz\">\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_lock\">\n            <p>\n                You have already completed the quiz before. Hence you can not start it again.            <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_loadQuiz\">\n            <p>\n                Quiz is loading...            <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_startOnlyRegisteredUser\">\n            <p>\n                \n    <div class=\"dante-quiz-login-box\">\n        <h2 class=\"dante-quiz-login-badge has-text-align-center\">Free Italian Quiz<\/h2>\n        <br>\n        <h3 class=\"dante-quiz-login-title has-text-align-center\">\"Italian Imperfetto: Forms, Uses and When to Use It\"<\/h3>\n        <p class=\"has-text-align-left\">\n            Sign up for free to try this quiz and get early access to new Italian lessons before anyone else.\n        <\/p>\n        \n        <div class=\"dante-quiz-social-buttons\">\n                <div class=\"dante-login-form\">\n        <div class=\"dante-social-btns\">\n            <a href=\"\/eng\/wp-login.php?loginSocial=google&redirect=%2Feng%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F720\" class=\"dante-social-btn\">\n                <svg width=\"18\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\">\n                    <path fill=\"#4285f4\" d=\"M22.56 12.25c0-.78-.07-1.53-.2-2.25H12v4.26h5.92c-.26 1.37-1.04 2.53-2.21 3.31v2.77h3.57c2.08-1.92 3.28-4.74 3.28-8.09z\"\/>\n                    <path fill=\"#34a853\" d=\"M12 23c2.97 0 5.46-.98 7.28-2.66l-3.57-2.77c-.98.66-2.23 1.06-3.71 1.06-2.86 0-5.29-1.93-6.16-4.53H2.18v2.84C3.99 20.53 7.7 23 12 23z\"\/>\n                    <path fill=\"#fbbc05\" d=\"M5.84 14.09c-.22-.66-.35-1.36-.35-2.09s.13-1.43.35-2.09V7.07H2.18C1.43 8.55 1 10.22 1 12s.43 3.45 1.18 4.93l2.85-2.22.81-.62z\"\/>\n                    <path fill=\"#ea4335\" d=\"M12 5.38c1.62 0 3.06.56 4.21 1.64l3.15-3.15C17.45 2.09 14.97 1 12 1 7.7 1 3.99 3.47 2.18 7.07l3.66 2.84c.87-2.6 3.3-4.53 6.16-4.53z\"\/>\n                <\/svg>\n                Continue with Google            <\/a>\n            <a href=\"\/eng\/wp-login.php?loginSocial=facebook&redirect=%2Feng%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F720\" class=\"dante-social-btn\">\n                <svg width=\"18\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\">\n                    <path fill=\"#1877f2\" d=\"M24 12.073c0-6.627-5.373-12-12-12s-12 5.373-12 12c0 5.99 4.388 10.954 10.125 11.854v-8.385H7.078v-3.47h3.047V9.43c0-3.007 1.792-4.669 4.533-4.669 1.312 0 2.686.235 2.686.235v2.953H15.83c-1.491 0-1.956.925-1.956 1.874v2.25h3.328l-.532 3.47h-2.796v8.385C19.612 23.027 24 18.062 24 12.073z\"\/>\n                <\/svg>\n                Continue with Facebook            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        \n        <div class=\"dante-divider\"><span>or<\/span><\/div>\n        \n        <form class=\"dante-auth-form\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"nonce\" value=\"1f453332a3\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"redirect\" value=\"\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/720\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"show_register\" value=\"true\">\n            \n            <!-- HONEYPOT FIELD - Anti-Bot Protection -->\n            <div style=\"position: absolute; 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Redirecting...'\n        };\n        \n        $('#email').on('input', function() {\n            const email = $(this).val();\n            const showReg = $('input[name=\"show_register\"]').val();\n            \n            clearTimeout(timeout);\n            \n            if (!email.includes('@')) {\n                resetForm();\n                return;\n            }\n            \n            timeout = setTimeout(() => {\n                $.post('https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php', {\n                    action: 'dante_check_email',\n                    email: email,\n                    nonce: $('input[name=\"nonce\"]').val()\n                }, function(r) {\n                    if (r.success) {\n                        if (r.data.exists) {\n                            setLoginMode();\n                        } else if (showReg === 'true') {\n                            setRegisterMode();\n                        } else {\n                            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         messageDiv.removeClass('dante-success dante-error').addClass('dante-' + type);\n            messageDiv.text(message).show();\n            setTimeout(() => messageDiv.hide(), 5000);\n        }\n        \n        $('.dante-auth-form').on('submit', function(e) {\n            e.preventDefault();\n            \n            const email = $('#email').val();\n            const password = $('#password').val();\n            const name = $('#name').val();\n            const gdpr = $('#gdpr').is(':checked');\n            const redirect = $('input[name=\"redirect\"]').val();\n            \n            if (!email || !password) {\n                showMessage(texts.emailPasswordRequired);\n                return;\n            }\n            \n            if (mode === 'register') {\n                if (!name) {\n                    showMessage(texts.nameRequired);\n                    return;\n                }\n                if (!gdpr) {\n                    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? texts.signIn : texts.createAccount);\n                }\n            });\n        });\n    });\n    <\/script>\n    \n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n                <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_prerequisite\">\n            <p>\n                You have to finish following quiz, to start this quiz:                <span><\/span>\n            <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_results\">\n            <h4 class=\"wpProQuiz_header\">Results<\/h4>\n                        <p class=\"wpProQuiz_time_limit_expired\" style=\"display: none;\">\n                Time has elapsed            <\/p>\n                            <p class=\"wpProQuiz_points\">\n                    You scored <span>0<\/span> out of <span>0<\/span> points, (<span>0<\/span>)                <\/p>\n                                    <div class=\"wpProQuiz_catOverview\" >\n                <h4>Categories<\/h4>\n\n                <div style=\"margin-top: 10px;\">\n                    <ol>\n                                                    <li data-category_id=\"206\">\n                                <span class=\"wpProQuiz_catName\">Choose the right imperfetto form<\/span>\n                                <span class=\"wpProQuiz_catPercent\">0%<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n                                                    <li data-category_id=\"207\">\n                                <span class=\"wpProQuiz_catName\">Produce the imperfetto form<\/span>\n                                <span class=\"wpProQuiz_catPercent\">0%<\/span>\n                            <\/li>\n                                            <\/ol>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div>\n                <ul class=\"wpProQuiz_resultsList\">\n                                            <li style=\"display: none;\">\n                            <div>\n                                <div style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; max-width:640px; margin:0 auto; padding:36px 24px; color:#1a1a1a; box-sizing:border-box; text-align:center;\">\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; font-weight:700; color:#7b2d8b; margin:0 0 6px; line-height:1.2;\">Ciao ,<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:13px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:16px 0 14px;\">Your result &middot; 0 to 40%<\/p>\n<div style=\"background:#f0f0f0; height:7px; border-radius:4px; overflow:hidden; margin:0 auto 36px; max-width:320px;\">\n<div style=\"background:linear-gradient(90deg, #e9d5ee, #7b2d8b); width:20%; height:7px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:26px; color:#1a1a1a; margin:0 0 14px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.35;\">Let&#8217;s strengthen the foundations on this topic.<\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:18px; color:#333; line-height:1.65; margin:0 auto 38px; max-width:520px;\"><strong>Our suggestion.<\/strong> A <strong>10-Lesson Package<\/strong> gives you ten focused 55-minute sessions with a native teacher, at your own pace.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:1px; background:#e8e8e8; margin:0 auto 30px; max-width:120px;\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:12px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:0 0 10px;\">Suggested next step<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; color:#7b2d8b; margin:0 0 6px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.2;\">10-Lesson Package<\/h4>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:16px; color:#666; margin:0 0 24px;\">One-to-one<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/vacanze.webp\" alt=\"10-Lesson Package\" style=\"width:140px; height:auto; margin:0 auto 26px; display:block;\"\/><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; color:#333; line-height:1.8; list-style:disc; padding-left:22px; margin:0 auto 32px; max-width:460px; text-align:left; display:inline-block;\">\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Any level<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">55-minute one-to-one session on Zoom<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Your personal native teacher<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Interactive online materials<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Homework after every lesson<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/membership-checkout\/?level=8\" style=\"display:inline-block; padding:18px 40px; background:#7b2d8b; color:#fff !important; text-decoration:none; border-radius:8px; font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,Arial,sans-serif; font-size:18px; font-weight:600; letter-spacing:0.3px;\">Get the 10-Lesson Package &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; font-style:italic; color:#555; margin:42px 0 0;\">Coraggio: un passo alla volta.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/li>\n                                            <li style=\"display: none;\">\n                            <div>\n                                <div style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; max-width:640px; margin:0 auto; padding:36px 24px; color:#1a1a1a; box-sizing:border-box; text-align:center;\">\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; font-weight:700; color:#ab2227; margin:0 0 6px; line-height:1.2;\">Ciao ,<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:13px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:16px 0 14px;\">Your result &middot; 41 to 65%<\/p>\n<div style=\"background:#f0f0f0; height:7px; border-radius:4px; overflow:hidden; margin:0 auto 36px; max-width:320px;\">\n<div style=\"background:linear-gradient(90deg, #fde2e2, #ab2227); width:53%; height:7px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:26px; color:#1a1a1a; margin:0 0 14px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.35;\">Solid base. Let&#8217;s build on it.<\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:18px; color:#333; line-height:1.65; margin:0 auto 38px; max-width:520px;\"><strong>Our suggestion.<\/strong> A <strong>weekly 1:1 lesson<\/strong> gives you the rhythm and the personalised feedback to turn what you know into what you say automatically.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:1px; background:#e8e8e8; margin:0 auto 30px; max-width:120px;\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:12px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:0 0 10px;\">Suggested next step<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; color:#ab2227; margin:0 0 6px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.2;\">Weekly 1:1<\/h4>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:16px; color:#666; margin:0 0 24px;\">One-to-one<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/vacanze.webp\" alt=\"Weekly 1:1\" style=\"width:140px; height:auto; margin:0 auto 26px; display:block;\"\/><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; color:#333; line-height:1.8; list-style:disc; padding-left:22px; margin:0 auto 32px; max-width:460px; text-align:left; display:inline-block;\">\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Any level<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">55-minute one-to-one session on Zoom<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Your personal native teacher<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Interactive online materials<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Homework after every lesson<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/membership-checkout\/?level=4\" style=\"display:inline-block; padding:18px 40px; background:#ab2227; color:#fff !important; text-decoration:none; border-radius:8px; font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,Arial,sans-serif; font-size:18px; font-weight:600; letter-spacing:0.3px;\">Book a Weekly 1:1 lesson &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; font-style:italic; color:#555; margin:42px 0 0;\">Avanti tutta!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/li>\n                                            <li style=\"display: none;\">\n                            <div>\n                                <div style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; max-width:640px; margin:0 auto; padding:36px 24px; color:#1a1a1a; box-sizing:border-box; text-align:center;\">\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; font-weight:700; color:#b8860b; margin:0 0 6px; line-height:1.2;\">Ciao ,<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:13px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:16px 0 14px;\">Your result &middot; 66 to 85%<\/p>\n<div style=\"background:#f0f0f0; height:7px; border-radius:4px; overflow:hidden; margin:0 auto 36px; max-width:320px;\">\n<div style=\"background:linear-gradient(90deg, #faecc4, #b8860b); width:75%; height:7px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:26px; color:#1a1a1a; margin:0 0 14px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.35;\">Great work. You&#8217;re ready for the group.<\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:18px; color:#333; line-height:1.65; margin:0 auto 38px; max-width:520px;\"><strong>Our suggestion.<\/strong> In the <strong>Milano small-group course (A2-B1)<\/strong> you&#8217;ll move from solid grammar to live conversation.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:1px; background:#e8e8e8; margin:0 auto 30px; max-width:120px;\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:12px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:0 0 10px;\">Suggested next step<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; color:#b8860b; margin:0 0 6px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.2;\">Milano group<\/h4>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:16px; color:#666; margin:0 0 24px;\">A2-B1<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/milano-no-sfondo.webp\" alt=\"Milano group\" style=\"width:140px; height:auto; margin:0 auto 26px; display:block;\"\/><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; color:#333; line-height:1.8; list-style:disc; padding-left:22px; margin:0 auto 32px; max-width:460px; text-align:left; display:inline-block;\">\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Small groups, max 4 students<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Weekly live Zoom sessions<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Grammar, vocabulary, listening, writing<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Homework after every lesson<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/membership-checkout\/?level=7\" style=\"display:inline-block; padding:18px 40px; background:#b8860b; color:#fff !important; text-decoration:none; border-radius:8px; font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,Arial,sans-serif; font-size:18px; font-weight:600; letter-spacing:0.3px;\">Join the Milano group &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; font-style:italic; color:#555; margin:42px 0 0;\">Ci vediamo in classe!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/li>\n                                            <li style=\"display: none;\">\n                            <div>\n                                <div style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; max-width:640px; margin:0 auto; padding:36px 24px; color:#1a1a1a; box-sizing:border-box; text-align:center;\">\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; font-weight:700; color:#2d6a4f; margin:0 0 6px; line-height:1.2;\">Ciao ,<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:13px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:16px 0 14px;\">Your result &middot; 86 to 100%<\/p>\n<div style=\"background:#f0f0f0; height:7px; border-radius:4px; overflow:hidden; margin:0 auto 36px; max-width:320px;\">\n<div style=\"background:linear-gradient(90deg, #cce5d5, #2d6a4f); width:93%; height:7px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:26px; color:#1a1a1a; margin:0 0 14px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.35;\">Bravissimo! You nailed it.<\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:18px; color:#333; line-height:1.65; margin:0 auto 38px; max-width:520px;\"><strong>Our suggestion.<\/strong> Step into the <strong>Milano small-group course (A2-B1)<\/strong> to turn accurate Italian into fluent Italian.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:1px; background:#e8e8e8; margin:0 auto 30px; max-width:120px;\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:12px; color:#666; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1.5px; margin:0 0 10px;\">Suggested next step<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:30px; color:#2d6a4f; margin:0 0 6px; font-weight:700; line-height:1.2;\">Milano group<\/h4>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:16px; color:#666; margin:0 0 24px;\">A2-B1<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/milano-no-sfondo.webp\" alt=\"Milano group\" style=\"width:140px; height:auto; margin:0 auto 26px; display:block;\"\/><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; color:#333; line-height:1.8; list-style:disc; padding-left:22px; margin:0 auto 32px; max-width:460px; text-align:left; display:inline-block;\">\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Small groups, max 4 students<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Weekly live Zoom sessions<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Grammar, vocabulary, listening, writing<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin:0 0 6px;\">Homework after every lesson<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/membership-checkout\/?level=7\" style=\"display:inline-block; padding:18px 40px; background:#2d6a4f; color:#fff !important; text-decoration:none; border-radius:8px; font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,Arial,sans-serif; font-size:18px; font-weight:600; letter-spacing:0.3px;\">Join the Milano group &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif; font-size:19px; font-style:italic; color:#555; margin:42px 0 0;\">A presto su Zoom!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/li>\n                                    <\/ul>\n            <\/div>\n                        <div style=\"margin: 10px 0px;\">\n                                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                <div class=\"wpProQuiz_reviewDiv\" style=\"display: none;\">\n            <div class=\"wpProQuiz_reviewQuestion\">\n                <ol>\n                                            <li>1<\/li>\n                                            <li>2<\/li>\n                                    <\/ol>\n                <div style=\"display: none;\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"wpProQuiz_reviewLegend\">\n                <ol>\n                    <li>\n                        <span class=\"wpProQuiz_reviewColor\" style=\"background-color: #6CA54C;\"><\/span>\n                        <span class=\"wpProQuiz_reviewText\">Answered<\/span>\n                    <\/li>\n                    <li>\n                        <span class=\"wpProQuiz_reviewColor\" style=\"background-color: #FFB800;\"><\/span>\n                        <span class=\"wpProQuiz_reviewText\">Review<\/span>\n                    <\/li>\n                <\/ol>\n                <div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div>\n                                    <input type=\"button\" name=\"review\" value=\"Review question\"\n                           class=\"wpProQuiz_button2\" style=\"float: left; display: block;\">\n                                        <div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                <div class=\"wpProQuiz_quizAnker\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/div>\n                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_quiz\">\n            <ol class=\"wpProQuiz_list\">\n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_listItem\" style=\"display: none;\">\n                        <div\n                            class=\"wpProQuiz_question_page\" style=\"display:none;\" >\n                            Question <span>1<\/span> of <span>2<\/span>                        <\/div>\n                        <h5 style=\"display: none;\"\n                            class=\"wpProQuiz_header\">\n                            <span>1<\/span>. Question                        <\/h5>\n\n                        \n                                                <div class=\"wpProQuiz_question\" style=\"margin: 10px 0 0 0;\">\n                            <div class=\"wpProQuiz_question_text\">\n                                <h3>Scegli la forma giusta dell&#8217;imperfetto<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Setting.<\/strong> Adele e Tommaso, ormai adulti, ricordano le estati passate dalla nonna Rosa a Trani, in Puglia. Per ogni frase, scegli la forma corretta dell&#8217;imperfetto tra le tre opzioni fra parentesi e scrivila nello spazio.<\/p>\n<p><em>Setting (EN). Adele and Tommaso, now adults, look back on the summers they spent at grandma Rosa&#8217;s house in Trani, Puglia. For each sentence, choose the correct imperfetto form from the three options in parentheses and type it in the blank.<\/em><\/p>\n                            <\/div>\n                                                        <ul class=\"wpProQuiz_questionList\" data-question_id=\"6567\"\n                                data-type=\"cloze_answer\">\n                                \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"0\">\n\n                                        <hr\/><ul><li>Da bambini Adele e Tommaso (parlavamo, parlavano, parlavate) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"9\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(parlavano)<\/span><\/span> sempre in dialetto pugliese con la nonna Rosa.<br><br><em>As children, Adele and Tommaso always spoke in Apulian dialect with grandma Rosa.<\/em><\/li><li>Da bambino Tommaso (credeva, credevo, credevi) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"7\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(credeva)<\/span><\/span> davvero a tutte le storie di pirati che la nonna raccontava la sera.<br><br><em>As a child, Tommaso really believed all the pirate stories that grandma told in the evening.<\/em><\/li><li>D'estate, Adele (dormivo, dormeva, dormiva) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"7\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(dormiva)<\/span><\/span> sempre con la finestra aperta perch\u00e9 dalla cucina arrivava odore di pane.<br><br><em>In summer, Adele always slept with the window open because the smell of bread came from the kitchen.<\/em><\/li><li>Ogni mattina i pescatori (cerchavano, cercavano, cercano) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"9\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(cercavano)<\/span><\/span> riparo nel porto vecchio di Trani quando il maestrale era forte.<br><br><em>Every morning the fishermen sought shelter in the old port of Trani when the mistral wind was strong.<\/em><\/li><li>Da piccoli noi (mangavamo, mangiavano, mangiavamo) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"10\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(mangiavamo)<\/span><\/span> le focacce della nonna Rosa tutti i pomeriggi sotto il pergolato.<br><br><em>As kids, we used to eat grandma Rosa's focaccia every afternoon under the pergola.<\/em><\/li><li>Quella domenica d'agosto (era, essava, \u00e8 stata) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"3\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(era)<\/span><\/span> una giornata umida e in piazza non si vedeva nessuno.<br><br><em>That August Sunday was a humid day and nobody was around in the piazza.<\/em><\/li><li>Da ragazzi noi (essevamo, eravamo, siamo stati) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"7\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(eravamo)<\/span><\/span> sempre stanchi la domenica sera dopo le partite di calcetto in spiaggia.<br><br><em>As teenagers we were always tired on Sunday evenings after the soccer matches on the beach.<\/em><\/li><li>D'estate Adele e Tommaso (facevano, favano, fevano) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"8\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(facevano)<\/span><\/span> lunghe nuotate al largo della cala di Andria con Niccol\u00f2.<br><br><em>In summer Adele and Tommaso would take long swims off the Andria cove with Niccol\u00f2.<\/em><\/li><li>La nonna Rosa (dicava, diceva, dival) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"6\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(diceva)<\/span><\/span> sempre che il vento di tramontana portava via i pensieri brutti.<br><br><em>Grandma Rosa would always say that the north wind blew away bad thoughts.<\/em><\/li><li>In agosto i nonni (berevano, bevvano, bevevano) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"8\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(bevevano)<\/span><\/span> un caff\u00e8 freddo alle cinque del pomeriggio sulla terrazza.<br><br><em>In August the grandparents used to have an iced coffee at five p.m. on the terrace.<\/em><\/li><li>Quando si \u00e8 trasferita a Trani, Adele (ha avuto, avevo, aveva) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"5\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(aveva)<\/span><\/span> dieci anni e non parlava ancora il dialetto.<br><br><em>When she moved to Trani, Adele was ten years old and didn't yet speak the dialect.<\/em><\/li><li>Mentre i bambini (leggevano, leggevamo, hanno letto) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"9\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(leggevano)<\/span><\/span> un libro sul divano, \u00e8 suonato il campanello del giardino.<br><br><em>While the children were reading a book on the couch, the garden bell rang.<\/em><\/li><\/ul><hr\/>                                    <\/li>\n                                                                <\/ul>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                    <div class=\"wpProQuiz_response\" style=\"display: none;\">\n                                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_correct\">\n                                                                            <span class=\"wpProQuiz_respone_span\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCorrect\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br>\n                                    <p><hr \/>\n<p>12 of 12. You have the imperfetto forms down: regular endings and the four irregular stems.<\/p><\/p>                                <\/div>\n                                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_incorrect\">\n                                                                            <span class=\"wpProQuiz_respone_span\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIncorrect\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br>\n                                    <p><hr \/>\n<p>Review of the imperfetto forms:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Regular endings<\/strong> (all three conjugations): -vo, -vi, -va, -vamo, -vate, -vano. <em>parlare<\/em> &rarr; parlavo, <em>credere<\/em> &rarr; credevo, <em>dormire<\/em> &rarr; dormivo.<\/li>\n<li><strong>No spelling tricks<\/strong>: <em>cercare<\/em> &rarr; cercavo (no h), <em>mangiare<\/em> &rarr; mangiavo (the i stays).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Four irregular stems<\/strong>: <em>essere<\/em> &rarr; ero, eri, era, eravamo, eravate, erano. <em>fare<\/em> &rarr; facevo. <em>dire<\/em> &rarr; dicevo. <em>bere<\/em> &rarr; bevevo.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Person agreement<\/strong>: -vamo is &#8220;we&#8221;, -vano is &#8220;they&#8221;. Don&#8217;t mix them up.<\/li>\n<li><strong>State vs event<\/strong>: age (<em>aveva dieci anni<\/em>), weather (<em>faceva freddo<\/em>) and &#8220;while&#8221; (<em>mentre leggevano<\/em>) are always imperfetto, never passato prossimo.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/p>                                <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        \n                                                    <div class=\"wpProQuiz_tipp\" style=\"display: none; position: relative;\">\n                                <div>\n                                    <h5 style=\"margin: 0 0 10px;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_header\">Hint<\/h5>\n                                    <p><strong>Form check.<\/strong> One single set of endings (-vo, -vi, -va, -vamo, -vate, -vano) is added to the stem. Only four verbs change the stem: <em>ero, facevo, dicevo, bevevo<\/em>. Match the ending to the subject (-vamo = we, -vano = they).<\/p>\n                                <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        \n                                                <input type=\"button\" name=\"back\" value=\"Back\"\n                               class=\"wpProQuiz_button wpProQuiz_QuestionButton\"\n                               style=\"float: left !important; margin-right: 10px !important; display: none;\">\n                                                    <input type=\"button\" name=\"tip\" value=\"Hint\"\n                                   class=\"wpProQuiz_button wpProQuiz_QuestionButton wpProQuiz_TipButton\"\n                                   style=\"float: left !important; display: inline-block; margin-right: 10px !important;\">\n                                                <input type=\"button\" name=\"check\" value=\"Check\"\n                               class=\"wpProQuiz_button wpProQuiz_QuestionButton\"\n                               style=\"float: right !important; margin-right: 10px !important; display: none;\">\n                        <input type=\"button\" name=\"next\" value=\"Next\"\n                               class=\"wpProQuiz_button wpProQuiz_QuestionButton\" style=\"float: right; display: none;\">\n\n                        <div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n\n                        \n                    <\/li>\n\n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_listItem\" style=\"display: none;\">\n                        <div\n                            class=\"wpProQuiz_question_page\" style=\"display:none;\" >\n                            Question <span>2<\/span> of <span>2<\/span>                        <\/div>\n                        <h5 style=\"display: none;\"\n                            class=\"wpProQuiz_header\">\n                            <span>2<\/span>. Question                        <\/h5>\n\n                        \n                                                <div class=\"wpProQuiz_question\" style=\"margin: 10px 0 0 0;\">\n                            <div class=\"wpProQuiz_question_text\">\n                                <h3>Forma l&#8217;imperfetto dal verbo all&#8217;infinito<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Setting.<\/strong> Sempre Adele e Tommaso che raccontano. Per ogni frase, coniuga il verbo tra parentesi all&#8217;imperfetto secondo l&#8217;indicazione (infinito &#8211; tempo, persona) e scrivilo nello spazio. Questa parte testa le quattro funzioni principali: abitudine, descrizione, azione interrotta, et\u00e0\/tempo\/clima, pi\u00f9 l&#8217;imperfetto &#8220;di cortesia&#8221; (<em>volevo<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p><em>Setting (EN). Adele and Tommaso again, telling their story. For each sentence, conjugate the verb in parentheses in the imperfetto according to the cue (infinitive &#8211; tense, person) and write it in the blank. This part covers the four core uses (habit, description, interrupted action, age\/time\/weather) plus the polite imperfetto (volevo).<\/em><\/p>\n                            <\/div>\n                                                        <ul class=\"wpProQuiz_questionList\" data-question_id=\"6568\"\n                                data-type=\"cloze_answer\">\n                                \n                                    <li class=\"wpProQuiz_questionListItem\" data-pos=\"0\">\n\n                                        <hr\/><ul><li>Da bambini Adele e Tommaso (andare - imperfetto, loro) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"8\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(andavano)<\/span><\/span> ogni estate dalla nonna Rosa a Trani per tutto agosto.<br><br><em>As children, Adele and Tommaso would go to grandma Rosa in Trani every summer for the whole of August.<\/em><\/li><li>La vecchia casa della nonna (avere - imperfetto, lei) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"5\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(aveva)<\/span><\/span> un cortile pieno di limoni e profumava di pane caldo.<br><br><em>Grandma's old house had a courtyard full of lemons and smelled of warm bread.<\/em><\/li><li>Mentre Adele (suonare - imperfetto, lei) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"7\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(suonava)<\/span><\/span> la chitarra in giardino, Niccol\u00f2 \u00e8 arrivato in bicicletta dal lungomare.<br><br><em>While Adele was playing the guitar in the garden, Niccol\u00f2 arrived by bike from the seafront.<\/em><\/li><li>Quando la nonna Rosa \u00e8 venuta a vivere a Trani, (avere - imperfetto, lei) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"5\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(aveva)<\/span><\/span> solo diciotto anni e non conosceva nessuno.<br><br><em>When grandma Rosa came to live in Trani, she was only eighteen and knew no one.<\/em><\/li><li>Quel pomeriggio di novembre (fare - imperfetto, esso) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"6\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(faceva)<\/span><\/span> un freddo insolito e il mare era grigio scuro.<br><br><em>That November afternoon it was unusually cold and the sea was dark grey.<\/em><\/li><li>In libreria, Tommaso si \u00e8 avvicinato al commesso: \u00abBuongiorno, (volere - imperfetto, io - polite) <span class=\"wpProQuiz_cloze\"><input data-wordlen=\"6\" type=\"text\" value=\"\"> <span class=\"wpProQuiz_clozeCorrect\" style=\"display: none;\">(volevo)<\/span><\/span> un'informazione sui libri di storia locale.\u00bb<br><br><em>At the bookshop, Tommaso approached the clerk: \"Good morning, I'd like some information about local history books.\"<\/em><\/li><\/ul><hr\/>                                    <\/li>\n                                                                <\/ul>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                    <div class=\"wpProQuiz_response\" style=\"display: none;\">\n                                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_correct\">\n                                                                            <span class=\"wpProQuiz_respone_span\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCorrect\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br>\n                                    <p><hr \/>\n<p>6 of 6. You can build the imperfetto and place it in the four main uses.<\/p><\/p>                                <\/div>\n                                <div style=\"display: none;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_incorrect\">\n                                                                            <span class=\"wpProQuiz_respone_span\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIncorrect\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br>\n                                    <p><hr \/>\n<p>Review of the four uses, plus the polite one:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Habit<\/strong> (<em>ogni estate, da bambino<\/em>): <em>andavano<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Description\/background<\/strong> (no event, just the scene): <em>aveva<\/em> un cortile.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Interrupted ongoing<\/strong> (<em>mentre<\/em> + imperfetto \/ event in passato prossimo): <em>suonava<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Age in the past<\/strong>: <em>aveva diciotto anni<\/em>, never the passato prossimo.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Weather in the past<\/strong>: <em>faceva freddo<\/em>, a state, so imperfetto.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Polite imperfetto<\/strong>: <em>volevo<\/em> un&#8217;informazione is softer than <em>voglio<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/p>                                <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        \n                                                    <div class=\"wpProQuiz_tipp\" style=\"display: none; position: relative;\">\n                                <div>\n                                    <h5 style=\"margin: 0 0 10px;\" class=\"wpProQuiz_header\">Hint<\/h5>\n                                    <p><strong>Use radar.<\/strong> Habit, description, &#8220;mentre&#8221;, age, weather, polite request &rarr; imperfetto. Form is always stem + (-vo, -vi, -va, -vamo, -vate, -vano), with <em>essere<\/em> as the only fully irregular verb.<\/p>\n                                <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        \n                                                <input type=\"button\" name=\"back\" value=\"Back\"\n                               class=\"wpProQuiz_button wpProQuiz_QuestionButton\"\n                               style=\"float: left !important; margin-right: 10px !important; display: none;\">\n                                                    <input type=\"button\" name=\"tip\" value=\"Hint\"\n                                   class=\"wpProQuiz_button wpProQuiz_QuestionButton wpProQuiz_TipButton\"\n                                   style=\"float: left !important; display: inline-block; margin-right: 10px !important;\">\n                                                <input type=\"button\" name=\"check\" value=\"Check\"\n                               class=\"wpProQuiz_button wpProQuiz_QuestionButton\"\n                               style=\"float: right !important; margin-right: 10px !important; display: none;\">\n                        <input type=\"button\" name=\"next\" value=\"Next\"\n                               class=\"wpProQuiz_button wpProQuiz_QuestionButton\" style=\"float: right; display: none;\">\n\n                        <div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n\n                        \n                    <\/li>\n\n                            <\/ol>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n            window.wpProQuizInitList = window.wpProQuizInitList || [];\n\n            window.wpProQuizInitList.push({\n                id: '#wpProQuiz_125',\n                init: {\n                    quizId: 125,\n                    mode: 2,\n                    globalPoints: 18,\n                    timelimit: 0,\n                    resultsGrade: [0,41,66,86],\n                    bo: 7560,\n                    qpp: 0,\n                    catPoints: {\"206\":12,\"207\":6},\n                    formPos: 0,\n                    lbn: \"Finish quiz\",\n                    json: {\"6567\":{\"type\":\"cloze_answer\",\"id\":6567,\"catId\":206,\"points\":[1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1],\"correct\":[[\"parlavano\"],[\"credeva\"],[\"dormiva\"],[\"cercavano\"],[\"mangiavamo\"],[\"era\"],[\"eravamo\"],[\"facevano\"],[\"diceva\"],[\"bevevano\"],[\"aveva\"],[\"leggevano\"]]},\"6568\":{\"type\":\"cloze_answer\",\"id\":6568,\"catId\":207,\"points\":[1,1,1,1,1,1],\"correct\":[[\"andavano\"],[\"aveva\"],[\"suonava\"],[\"aveva\"],[\"faceva\"],[\"volevo\"]]}}                }\n            });\n        <\/script>\n        \n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:36px;color:#ab2227;margin-top:50px;margin-bottom:10px;letter-spacing:0.3em;font-family:Georgia,serif\">\u00a7<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Seven questions about the italian imperfetto come up in every A2 class. The answers below draw on classroom usage and on the Treccani entry <a href=\"https:\/\/www.treccani.it\/vocabolario\/imperfetto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">imperfetto<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-im-q1\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What is the Italian imperfetto used for?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>It is the past tense for what was happening rather than what happened once. Four jobs: habits (da bambino giocavo), description and background (era una bella giornata), an ongoing action interrupted by another (mentre leggevo, e suonato il telefono), and states like age, time and weather (avevo dieci anni, erano le otto, pioveva). It views the past from within, with no focus on start or end.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-im-q2\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">How do you form the imperfetto?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Drop -re from the infinitive, keep the theme vowel, and add one set of endings for all verbs: -vo, -vi, -va, -vamo, -vate, -vano. So parlare gives parlavo, credere gives credevo, dormire gives dormivo. It is the most regular tense in Italian.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-im-q3\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Which verbs are irregular in the imperfetto?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Only four matter. Essere is genuinely irregular: ero, eri, era, eravamo, eravate, erano. Fare, dire and bere simply recover their longer Latin stem and then take normal endings: facevo, dicevo, bevevo. Everything else is regular.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-im-q4\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What is the difference between imperfetto and passato prossimo?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>The imperfetto is background, duration and habit, viewed from within; the passato prossimo is a single completed event that moves the story forward, viewed from outside. Ieri e stata una bella giornata (finished) ma faceva freddo (background). If you can add every day or for a while it is imperfetto; if it is one finished thing, passato prossimo.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-im-q5\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Is it sapevo or ho saputo?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>With sapere, conoscere, volere, potere, dovere the imperfetto is the state and the passato prossimo is the moment it changed. Sapevo = I knew (state); ho saputo = I found out (moment). Conoscevo = I knew someone; ho conosciuto = I met them for the first time.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-im-q6\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Why do Italians say volevo instead of voglio?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>It is the polite imperfetto. Volevo un&#8217;informazione is softer and more courteous than voglio un&#8217;informazione; cercavo il signor Bianchi is gentler than cerco. The imperfetto here is not really past, it just takes the edge off a request, very common in shops and offices.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-im-q7\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Which tense for age and time in the past?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Always the imperfetto: avevo dieci anni (I was ten), erano le otto (it was eight o&#8217;clock), faceva freddo (it was cold). These are states, not events, even when the main action of the sentence is in the passato prossimo.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"related\">Related guides<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three guides next to the italian imperfetto in the past-tense cluster, plus the institutional reference.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/italian-passato-prossimo-vs-imperfetto\/\">Italian Passato Prossimo vs Imperfetto<\/a>: the contrast in depth, with decision rules.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/italian-passato-prossimo\/\">Italian Passato Prossimo<\/a>: forms, auxiliary and agreement of the other main past.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/italian-narrative-imperfect\/\">Italian Narrative Imperfect<\/a>: the C1 use where newspapers say &#8220;moriva nel 1980&#8221;.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.treccani.it\/vocabolario\/imperfetto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Treccani: imperfetto<\/a>: institutional reference.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\ud83d\udd0d In short. The italian imperfetto is the past tense for what was happening, not what happened once. Its endings are almost completely regular (-vo, -vi, -va, -vamo, -vate, -vano: parlavo, credevo, dormivo) with only four real irregulars (ero, facevo, dicevo, bevevo). You use it for habits (da bambino giocavo), descriptions and background (era una &#8230; <a title=\"Italian Imperfetto: Forms, Uses and When to Use It\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/imperfetto-an-italian-past-tense-quiz\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Italian Imperfetto: Forms, Uses and When to Use It\">Read more \u226b<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10020,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1864],"tags":[52,47,40,29,48,51,50,49],"class_list":["post-720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-a2","tag-imperfect","tag-imperfetto","tag-imperfetto-indicativo","tag-indicativo","tag-passato","tag-past-progressive","tag-simple-tense","tag-tempo-semplice","no-featured-image-padding","pmpro-has-access"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10020"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=720"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/720\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60248,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/720\/revisions\/60248"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}