entravamo

Entravamo is the first-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Italian verb entrare, meaning “we were entering” or “we used to enter.” It describes past actions that were ongoing, habitual, or set the scene in a narrative, rather than a single completed event.

In Italian, the imperfect tense is used to indicate background actions in the past, ongoing states, or repeated activities. Entravamo, being a regular -are verb form, is formed from the stem entr- plus the endings of the imperfect for noi: -avamo. The full paradigm for the imperfect of entrare includes entravo, entravi, entrava, entravamo, entravate, entravano, with entravamo specifically corresponding to “we were entering.”

Usage examples illustrate its function. Entravamo nel cortile quando cominciò a piovere. (We were entering the courtyard when it began to rain.) Entravamo spesso in quel vecchio edificio da ragazzi. (We used to enter that old building often when we were kids.) The imperfect is often contrasted with the passato prossimo (abbiamo entrato), which conveys a completed action. It can also serve to provide atmosphere or context in storytelling.

Etymology-wise, entrare derives from Latin intrare, and entravamo retains the regular pattern of Italian -are verbs in the imperfect. In modern Italian, entravamo is commonly used in written and spoken language to convey past progress or habitual past actions, with no irregularities in its conjugation.