prevedevamo

Prevedevamo is the first-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Italian verb prevedere, meaning to foresee or to anticipate. The imperfect is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, or a forecast held over a period of time. The verb prevedere derives from Latin praevidēre, formed from prae- “before” and videre “to see.”

Conjugation and forms: The imperfect forms of prevedere are io prevedevo, tu prevedevi, lui/lei prevedeva, noi prevedevamo, voi prevedevate, loro prevedevano. The stem is preved- and the endings follow the regular pattern for -ere verbs in the imperfect. The present tense is prevedo, the future is prevedrò, and the passato prossimo is ho previsto.

Usage and nuance: Prevedevamo expresses a past forecast that was true in its own time frame or part of a continuing attitude in the past. It can introduce reported speech or describe a background expectation in narrative. It is often contrasted with the present perfect (abbiamo previsto) when the forecast has relevance to the present. Common constructions include “prevedevamo [che]…” and, less commonly, “stavamo prevedendo…” to stress the ongoing nature. Examples: “Prevedevamo un aumento delle vendite per il trimestre successivo.” “Durante la crisi, prevedevamo che la situazione avrebbe potuto migliorare entro l’estate.”