parlassimo

Parlassimo is the first-person plural form of the congiuntivo imperfetto (imperfect subjunctive) of the Italian verb parlare, meaning to speak. It is used in subordinate clauses that require the imperfect subjunctive mood, typically in past-tense contexts, conditional expressions, or hypothetical statements. The form is characteristic of formal or literary Italian and appears in written texts and careful speech.

In standard Italian, the imperfect subjunctive of parlare is formed from the stem parl-, with endings that vary by person: io parlassi, tu parlassi, lui/lei parlasse, noi parlassimo, voi parlassaste, loro parlassero. The noi form, parl- ossimo, yields parlassimo. While some regional varieties and some speakers use different registers, the parlassimo form is widely recognized in formal writing and classic literature.

Usage examples include: Credevo che noi parlassimo bene l’italiano, indicating a past belief about a hypothetical or uncertain action. Se voi parlassaste con pazienza, capireste meglio, illustrating a past hypothetical condition in a past-tense main clause. The imperfect subjunctive often appears after verbs of thinking, believing, or wishing in the past, and it commonly co-occurs with the conditional mood in the main clause.

Etymology traces parl- back to the Latin root for speaking, with the imperfect subjunctive endings reflect a Romance-language pattern. Parlassimo thus represents one of several traditional Italian verb forms preserved in formal grammar.