estendevi

Estendevi is the second-person singular imperfect indicative form of the Italian verb estendere, meaning to extend, to stretch, or to spread. It can be used transitively, as in tu estendevi la mano (you were extending your hand), or in a pronominal sense with reflexive usage such as estendersi (to lie stretched out). The form appears in narrative and descriptive prose to express ongoing or habitual past action.

Etymology and related forms: Estendere derives from Latin extendere, which means to stretch out or to spread. The imperfect forms of estendere follow regular -ere verb endings in the passato remoto’s imperfect. Related verbs include estendersi (to lie or stretch oneself) and esprimere related senses of extending or widening.

Morphology and tense use: In the present Italian, the form would be estendi (you extend). In the imperfect, estendevi conveys a past ongoing action: Tu estendevi, mentre guardavi l’orizzonte. Other imperfect forms include io estendevo, lui estendeva, noi estendevamo, voi estendevate, loro estendevano. The verb can take direct objects when used transitively (estendere qualcosa) and can be used with reflexive pronouns when describing a stretch of the body or a place that “stretches out” (si estendeva).

Usage notes: Estendevi is common in literary and descriptive contexts to mark a continued past action. It is contrasted with estesevi (imperfect different form in some dialects) and with the simple passato prossimo estesi. In everyday speech, speakers may prefer other verbs such as allungare or espandere depending on nuance.

See also: Estendere, Estendersi, Italian verb conjugation.