Sputavi

Sputavi is the Italian second-person singular imperfect indicative form of the verb sputare, meaning you were spitting or you used to spit. It is used to describe a past action that was habitual or ongoing, or to set a scene in narrative time.

In the standard conjugation of sputare, the imperfect forms follow regular patterns of the first conjugation: io sputavo, tu sputavi, lui/lei sputava, noi sputavamo, voi sputavate, loro sputavano. As a form, sputavi appears primarily in dialogue or descriptive prose to reference a past action by the you (singular) subject.

Example usage: Tu sputavi sul terreno ogni volta che ridevi, lasciando una macchia sul pavimento. This illustrates a habitual past action rather than a single event.

Etymology and related forms: The form sputavi derives from the infinitive sputare, the Italian verb meaning “to spit.” The verb is of Romance origin, with roots in Latin and cognates found in other Romance languages. Like many Italian verbs, sputare and its forms reflect regular patterns of the first conjugation, including the imperfect tense used here.

Notes: While sputavi is common in informal speech and literature, in formal writing Italian often favors other past tenses (such as the passato prossimo) for completed actions. The form remains a standard part of the language’s conjugation and is easily understood by speakers and learners.