Dallimperfetto

Dallimperfetto is the term used in Italian grammar to denote the imperfect tense (imperfetto), a past tense that describes actions without focusing on their completion. It is employed to express ongoing actions in the past, habitual activities, descriptions of scenes, and states. It contrasts with the passato prossimo, which marks completed, punctual events.

Form and endings: The imperfect forms are built on the verb stem plus set endings. For -are verbs: io parlavo, tu parlavi, lui parlava, noi parlavamo, voi parlavate, loro parlavano. For -ere verbs: io prendevo, tu prendevi, lui prendeva, noi prendevamo, voi prendevate, loro prendevano. For -ire verbs: io dormivo, tu dormivi, lui dormiva, noi dormivamo, voi dormivate, loro dormivano. Irregular stems occur in a few verbs, notably essere and avere, and some verbs show vowel alternations.

Common irregulars: essere → ero, eri, era, eravamo, eravate, erano; avere → avevo, avevi, aveva, avevamo, avevate, avevano. Other frequent irregulars include dire (dicevo), fare (facevo), venire (venivo).

Uses: It is used to describe ongoing or background situations (La casa era grande, la gente era felice), to indicate habitual past actions (Quando ero bambino, giocavo spesso all'aperto), and to set the scene in narratives. The imperfect often appears with mentre to show simultaneous actions, or in clauses such as mentre studiavo, lui telefonò.

Comparison and contrast: In narrative discourse, dallimperfetto often coexists with the passato prossimo to distinguish ongoing background from completed actions. In discussions about time, age, weather, or mental states in the past, the imperfect remains the default choice. The term itself is primarily used in linguistic descriptions rather than in everyday grammar.