Estudiàvem

Estudiàvem is a Catalan verb form, the imperfect indicative of estudiar, meaning “we were studying” or “we used to study.” It is formed from the stem estud- plus the imperfect ending -àvem, which marks the first-person plural in -ar verbs in Catalan. The imperfect tense is used to describe past actions without a defined endpoint, habitual past actions, or background circumstances.

Etymology and form: estudiar derives from Latin studium, via the Romance languages, and the Catalan form mostra the typical -ar imperfect paradigm. The accent on the a in estudiàvem helps indicate the correct pronunciation and stress in the verb conjugation.

Usage: Estudiàvem is used to set scenes in the past or to talk about routines and ongoing activities in previous periods. Examples include: “Quan érem a l’institut, estudiàvem gairebé cada tarda” (When we were in high school, we were studying almost every afternoon) and “Cada setmana, estudiàvem les lliçons abans de l’examen” (Each week, we studied the lessons before the exam).

Regional notes: The form is standard across Catalan-speaking areas, including Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian Community. It contrasts with the corresponding Spanish imperfect form “estudiábamos” and with other Catalan tenses such as the present “estudiem” or the past historic “estudiàrem” (used in formal literary contexts).