affrontava

Affrontava is the imperfect indicative form of the Italian verb affrontare. It translates as “he/she/it was facing” or “he/she/it used to confront.” The form is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, or to set a past scene in narrative prose.

In usage, affrontare means to confront or face someone or something, such as a problem, danger, or challenge. The imperfect tense, affording a sense of continuity, is common when describing how someone faced difficulties over a period of time, or how they habitually confronted various issues. It contrasts with the passato prossimo form affrontato, which indicates a specific, completed action.

Etymology traces affrontare to the Latin root related to front or face, via the Italian evolution of aff- plus frontare. The related noun affronto denotes an insult or affront, though this is a distinct lexical item from the verb form discussed here.

Conjugation: affrontare is a regular -are verb. Imperfect indicative forms include io affrontavo, tu affrontavi, lui/lei affrontava, noi affrontavamo, voi affrontavate, loro affrontavano. Other tenses are formed similarly to other -are verbs.

See also: affrontare, affronto.