permettevamo

Permettevamo is the first-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Italian verb permEttere, meaning to allow or to permit. It translates to we allowed or we used to allow, and is used to describe past actions of granting permission or enabling something, typically over a period of time or as a habitual action.

Etymology and meaning: permEttere comes from Latin permittere, formed with per- (through, thoroughly) and mittere (to send, to let). In Italian, the imperfect tense conveys ongoing or repeated past actions, setting a scene or recalling memory. The form allows construction with objects or clauses that express what was permitted.

Usage: The imperfect is used to describe past permissions that occurred regularly or over a span of time. It can appear in narratives to set conditions or social norms of the past. When the clause that follows expresses a desired or potential outcome, the sentence can also include the subjunctive in related constructions, though this is not required for all uses of permettere.

Conjugation (imperfect, noi form): Io permettevo, tu permettevi, lui/lei permetteva, noi permettevamo, voi permettevate, loro permettevano.

Examples:

- Da bambini, permettevamo ai nostri amici di restare fuori fino a tardi. (As children, we allowed our friends to stay out until late.)

- Durante quel periodo, permettevamo ai bambini di entrare in casa solo se bussavano. (During that period, we allowed the children to come inside only if they knocked.)

See also: other tenses of permEttere, related verbs such as consentire (to consent) and permettere in reported speech.