chiudevi

Chiudevi is the second-person singular imperfect form of the Italian reflexive verb chiudersi, meaning to close oneself. The infinitive is chiudersi; the imperfect form for tu is chiudevi, and the corresponding full form with the reflexive pronoun is tu ti chiudevi. In full conjugation, the imperfect of chiudersi is: io mi chiudevo, tu ti chiudevi, lui/lei si chiudeva, noi ci chiudevamo, voi vi chiudevate, loro si chiudevano. The form chiudevi typically appears with the reflexive pronoun: tu ti chiudevi.

Usage and nuance: chiudevi expresses a past, ongoing, or habitual action of withdrawing or closing oneself off. It is common in literary or formal narration to convey introspection, withdrawal, or a state of seclusion, rather than a simple physical closing. For example: Quando era stressato, ti chiudevi spesso nella tua stanza. In everyday speech, speakers often prefer non-reflexive equivalents or other constructions, and reflexive forms can feel somewhat archaic or stylistically marked.

Relation to related forms: chiudersi belongs to a broader class of reflexive verbs in Italian, where the action is directed back onto the subject. The non-reflexive verb chiudere means to close something else (e.g., chiudere la porta). Other forms of chiudersi follow the same reflexive paradigm across tenses and persons.

See also: Italian reflexive verbs, chiudere, imperfect tense, literary Italian.