The imperfect tense in Italian is essential for communicating accurately in many situations. Read this article to learn how it’s formed and when to use it.
The imperfect tense in Italian is one of the most frequently used verb tenses, appearing in a wide range of contexts related to the past. Since it exists only in Romance languages, it can be particularly challenging for foreign learners whose native language doesn’t include this form.
The contexts in which the imperfect tense in Italian is used are varied, which can make it even trickier to master—especially for beginners. You might wonder, for instance, when to use it instead of the passato prossimo (present perfect).
So, if you’re still trying to unravel the “mysteries of the imperfect”, keep reading. In this article, we’ll explain in a clear and practical way when and how to use the Italian imperfect tense correctly.
When to use the imperfect tense in Italian
As we mentioned earlier, one of the main challenges of the imperfect tense in Italian lies in understanding the different contexts in which it’s used.
To start, the imperfect tense is used to describe an action or a state in the past that was either repeated or ongoing. Still not entirely clear? Let’s look at a few concrete examples to make it easier.
In the sentence “quando ero in vacanza, andavo ogni giorno al mare” (“when I was on vacation, I went to the beach every day”), the imperfect verb “andavo” expresses an action in the past that was repeated regularly.
In “mentre Anna studiava, lavorava in pizzeria” (“while Anna was studying, she worked at a pizzeria”), both “studiava” and “lavorava” indicate actions that were ongoing in the past.
Another very common use of the imperfect tense in Italian is to describe past situations, as in “aveva dei lunghi capelli biondi ed era molto bella”( “she had long blonde hair and was very beautiful”). In this sense, watching Italian movies or reading short stories can be an excellent way to learn how to use the imperfect tense for descriptions and storytelling.
The imperfect tense is also frequently used to make polite requests that refer to the present. For instance, in the question “scusi, cercavo un bagno” (“excuse me, I was looking for a restroom”), the action takes place in the present, but Italian often uses the imperfect form “cercavo” to sound more courteous.
As you can see, there are countless occasions to use the imperfect tense in Italian, far beyond the few examples we’ve discussed here. That’s why the best way to truly master it is to take Italian lessons tailored to your current level and learning goals.
How to conjugate verbs in the imperfect tense in Italian
Before diving into the details of how to conjugate verbs in the imperfect tense in Italian, let’s start with an interesting observation you may have already noticed.
All imperfect tense endings contain the letter “v”. This is a helpful clue that allows you to recognize the imperfect form—provided it makes sense within the context of the sentence.
To form the imperfect tense of regular verbs, take the infinitive (the form ending in -are, -ere, or -ire) and replace the ending with the specific imperfect endings.
Let’s look at how to form the imperfect tense in Italian step by step for each of the three verb conjugations:
- Verbs ending in –are, such as “parlare” (“to speak”): remove -are and add -avo, -avi, -ava, -avamo, -avate, and -avano. “Io parlavo” (“I was speaking”), “tu parlavi”, “lui/lei parlava”, “noi parlavamo”, “voi parlavate”, “loro parlavano”.
- Verbs ending in –ere, such as “correre” (“to run”): remove -ere and add -evo, -evi, -eva, -evamo, -evate, and -evano. “Io correvo” (“I was running”), “tu correvi”, “lui/lei correva”, “noi correvamo”, “voi correvate”, “loro correvano”.
- Verbs ending in –ire, such as “partire” (“to leave”): remove -ire and add -ivo, -ivi, -iva, -ivamo, -ivate, and -ivano. “Io partivo” (“I was leaving”), “tu partivi”, “lui/lei partiva”, “noi partivamo”, “voi partivate”, “loro partivano”.
When it comes to irregular verbs, here’s something encouraging: many verbs that are irregular in the present tense become regular in the imperfect.
However, some verbs remain irregular in the imperfect tense in Italian, such as “fare” (to do/make), “bere” (to drink), “dire” (to say), and “essere” (to be). For example, the verb essere conjugates as: “io ero”, “tu eri”, “lui/lei era”, “noi eravamo”, “voi eravate”, “loro erano”.
Practicing with Italian grammar exercises will help you recognize these forms and learn how to create the imperfect tense accurately and confidently.
The importance of using the imperfect tense in Italian correctly
Making mistakes when using the imperfect tense in Italian can easily lead to misunderstandings—or, at the very least, to sentences that sound awkward or incorrect.
Imagine, for example, that you want to say what you ate for dinner yesterday. If you said “ieri sera mangiavo la pasta” instead of “ieri sera ho mangiato la pasta”, your sentence would sound inconsistent in Italian, because you’d be mixing up the present perfect with the imperfect tense.
That’s why, if your goal is to reach an A2 level of fluency for academic or professional purposes, you absolutely need to understand and use the imperfect tense in Italian correctly.
To truly grasp all the nuances and contexts in which this tense is used, enrolling in a high-quality Italian course is essential.
Choose a learning path—whether in person or through an online Italian class, that combines structured grammar lessons with real-life communication practice.
Only this way will you develop the confidence and accuracy needed to understand when and how to use the imperfect tense naturally in your everyday conversations.
