Riferivamo

Riferivamo is the first-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Italian verb riferire, meaning to report or to relay information. In this tense, it expresses a past action that was ongoing, repeated, or habitual, such as reporting information over a period or in a routine situation. Depending on the context, it can translate to “we were reporting” or “we reported” in English, with nuance shifting toward ongoingness or continuity in the past.

Etymology and sense. The verb riferire comes from the Latin referire, meaning to bring back or report. In Italian, riferire preserves the core sense of conveying information about something that was observed, said, or decided, often requiring a direct object (the information reported) and optionally an indirect object (the person to whom the report was made). The imperfect form rif erivamo is used when the reporting activity is placed in a past, non-completed frame.

Usage and syntax. Riferire takes items being reported as a direct object (e.g., i fatti, le notizie) and can be accompanied by a recipient ("a lui," "al capo"). It can introduce content in indirect speech with a che-clause or a di-clause, as in “riferivamo che la situazione era stabile” or “riferivamo di avere trovato problemi.” The imperfect contrasts with the passato prossimo (abbiamo riferito), which marks a completed past action. In narrative or formal writing, rif erire is common in journalism, administration, and research contexts.

Examples. Durante la riunione, noi riferivamo i risultati al direttore. Ieri riferivamo che i dati erano incongruenti. Da settimane riferivamo di problemi ricorrenti.

See also. Riferire is related to riporto, riportare, and other verbs that deal with conveying information or referring to matters, with nuances depending on completion, aspect, and register.