Întârzieam

"Întârzieam" is the imperfect tense, first-person singular form of the Romanian verb "a întârzia," which means "to be late" or "to delay." This grammatical form specifically describes an action that was happening repeatedly or continuously in the past, without a defined end.

In Romanian grammar, the imperfect tense is used to set the scene for past events, to describe ongoing situations in the past, or to indicate habitual actions. For instance, "Întârzieam la serviciu" would translate to "I was being late for work" or "I used to be late for work." The context of the sentence would determine whether it refers to a habitual lateness or a specific instance of being late that was ongoing at a particular moment in the past.

The verb "a întârzia" itself can apply to various situations, not just punctuality. It can mean to lag behind, to postpone, or for something to be delayed. Therefore, "întârzieam" can express the speaker's state of being delayed in a broader sense, depending on the surrounding words. Its usage is fundamental for expressing past continuous or habitual actions in Romanian.