parlasse

Parlasse is a grammatical form in Italian. It is the third-person singular imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto) of the verb parlare, meaning “to speak.” It appears in subordinate clauses to express doubt, possibility, desire, or hypothetical situations, usually in a past-relative context to the main clause.

Conjugation of this form follows the pattern for -are verbs in the imperfect subjunctive. The forms are: io parlassi, tu parlassi, lui/lei parlasse, noi parlassimo, voi parlaste, loro parlassero. Specifically, parlasse is the form used for the third-person singular: lui parlasse (also applicable to lei/parlasse).

Examples illustrate its use in formal or literary Italian: “Credevo che lui parlasse bene l’italiano.” “Se lei parlasse più piano, non disturberebbe.” In contemporary speech, the imperfect subjunctive is less frequent, and speakers may substitute with other tenses or moods in informal contexts.

Origin and usage notes: the form is built from the verb stem parl- with the imperfect subjunctive endings -assi, -assi, -asse, -assimo, -aste, -assero. It coexists with other Italian tenses to express contingent or hypothetical meanings and commonly appears after verbs of thinking, feeling, or wanting, and after conjunctions like “se” or “che.”

See also: congiuntivo imperfetto; parlare; Italian grammar.