lavoravate

Lavoravate is the second-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Italian verb lavorare, meaning "to work." It is used to describe actions that were ongoing or habitual in the past, equivalent to "you all were working" or "you all used to work" in English.

Etymology and classification: the form derives from the Latin laborare, related to the concept of work or labor. In Italian, it belongs to the regular -are verb conjugation and appears in many regional and formal writings as the standard past-progressive reference for voi.

Conjugation and grammar: in the imperfect tense, lavorare follows the regular pattern for -are verbs. The full paradigm is: io lavoravo, tu lavoravi, lui/lei lavorava, noi lavoravamo, voi lavoravate, loro lavoravano. The endings -avo, -avi, -ava, -avamo, -avate, -avano are characteristic of this tense.

Usage and examples: lavoravate is commonly used to set the background in past narratives, describe routines, or indicate actions that were in progress at a past time. Examples: "Voi lavoravate nel progetto per mesi, senza interruzioni." "Mentre voi lavoravate, io attendevo una decisione." It can appear in literature, journalism, and spoken Italian, maintaining formal standard usage.

See also: Italian verb conjugation, imperfect tense, lavorare.