Condividavamo

Condividavamo is the first‑person plural imperfect form of the Italian verb condividere, which means “to share” or “to divide”. It literally translates to “we were sharing” or “we used to share” and is used when describing an ongoing or repeated action in the past. The construction follows the regular -ere verb conjugation pattern, with the stem condivid‑ and the imperfect endings -avamo, -avate, -avano, -avamo, -avate, -avano.

In everyday speech, condividavamo is often heard when recounting past collaborative activities, such as sharing food in a communal setting or exchanging ideas within a group. For example: “Quando eravamo giovani, condividavamo i nostri sogni e le nostre preoccupazioni con gli amici.” This expresses that sharing was an habitual practice at that time.

The form is also used in literature and media to emphasize nostalgia or collective memory. Italian writers sometimes employ condividavamo to evoke a sense of communal solidarity, as in: “Condividavamo una speranza che avrebbe cambiato il futuro.” Here, the imperfect creates a timeless quality, suggesting that the shared hope existed firmly in the past.

Synonyms for condividere include spartire, dividere, and separare, though each carries a slightly different nuance. While condividavamo specifically denotes the imperfect past, other tenses such as condividere, condivisiamo, and condividerò indicate present, future, or perfect aspects. Understanding the placement of this form helps learners appreciate the subtle distinctions between continuous past actions and completed events in Italian.