andavamo

Andavamo is the first-person plural (noi) imperfect indicative form of the Italian verb andare, meaning to go. It translates to “we were going” or “we used to go” in English and is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, as well as to set the scene in narrative.

Conjugation and form. The imperfect tense of andare is formed by a-stem variation: io andavo, tu andavi, lui/lei andava, noi andavamo, voi andavate, loro andavano. This form contrasts with the present tense (andiamo) and with passato prossimo (siamo andati/-e andate) which signals a completed action.

Usage. Andavamo is used for actions without a defined end in the past, often habitual or repeated over time. It also provides background information during storytelling. Examples include: “Quando eravamo bambini, andavamo spesso al mare.” (When we were children, we used to go to the sea often.) “Mentre lui parlava, noi andavamo avanti con i nostri appunti.” (While he spoke, we carried on with our notes.) In narrative, the imperfect helps convey atmosphere and duration rather than a single, finished event.

Relation to other tenses. The imperfect contrasts with the passato prossimo, which expresses a past action viewed as completed, and with the imperfect subjunctive in dependent clauses. It is one of the core imperfect forms used to describe past habitual behavior or ongoing states with andare.

See also. Italian verbs, imperfect tense, conjugation patterns, andere/andare (to go) basics.