disperdevi

Disperdevi is the second-person singular imperfect indicative form of the Italian verb disperdere, meaning to scatter, disperse, or dissipate. It is used to describe an action in the past that was ongoing, habitual, or set within a narrative scene. The verb disperdere is transitive and takes a direct object when referring to scattering something tangible, but it can also be used metaphorically (for example, to disperse rumors or attention).

Etymology and form: Disperdere derives from Latin dispersus, a past participle related to spargere (to scatter), with the modern Italian form evolving through Old Italian into standard usage. The imperfect tense expresses ongoing or repeated past action, not completed at a specific moment.

Conjugation context: The imperfect forms of disperdere are io disperdevo, tu disperdevi, lui/lei disperdeva, noi disperdevamo, voi disperdevate, loro disperdevano. Therefore disperdevi specifically corresponds to “you were dispersing” or “you used to disperse.”

Usage notes: Disperdevi is common in both written and spoken Italian, especially in narrative passages or descriptive past tense contexts. It commonly appears with concrete objects (disperdere i pezzi, disperdere la folla) as well as in figurative expressions (disperdere dubbi, disperdere l’ansia).

Example sentences:

- Durante la tempesta, tu disperdevi le piume del cappotto lungo il cortile.

- Nelle fasi finali della missione, tu disperdevi le truppe in piccoli gruppi.

See also: disperdere; Italian verb conjugation; imperfect tense.