cambiavamo

Cambiavamo is the Italian verb form that corresponds to the first-person plural imperfect indicative of cambiare, the verb meaning to change. It expresses actions or states that occurred repeatedly or over a prolonged period in the past, without indicating a completed act.

Grammatical form and conjugation: Cambiare is a regular -are verb. In the imperfect tense, the endings are -avo, -avi, -ava, -avamo, -avate, -avano. Therefore, the form cambiavamo is used for noi (we). The full imperfect paradigm for cambiare is io cambiavo, tu cambiavi, lui/lei cambiava, noi cambiavamo, voi cambiavate, loro cambiavano.

Usage and nuances: Cambiavamo is used to describe habitual past actions, ongoing background situations, or descriptions of what people were doing or how things were at a past time. It contrasts with the passato prossimo, which often marks specific completed actions. In narration, the imperfect provides setting and context, while other tenses can signal events that interrupt or move the narrative forward.

Examples: Quando eravamo bambini, cambiavamo spesso le nostre abitudini. In quel periodo, cambiavamo idea sui progetti e sulle priorità. Si usava cambiare l’orario di incontro per adattarlo a tutti.

See also: Cambiare; Imperfetto (grammatica italiana).