riferivo

Riferivo is the first-person singular imperfect indicative form of the Italian verb riferire. The base verb, riferire, means to report, to relay information, or to refer to something. It is commonly used to recount what someone has said, what has been found, or to indicate that information was conveyed to someone else. Riferire can take a direct object (riferire un fatto, una notizia) and is frequently followed by a clause introduced with che to report reported content (ha riferito che…).

Etymology and classification: riferire derives from Latin referre, meaning to bring back or to report. In Italian, riferire is a regular -ire verb with the standard imperfect endings: io riferivo, tu riferivi, lui/lei riferiva, noi riferivamo, voi riferivate, loro riferivano. In the present tense, the verb forms change as an -isco verb in the first person singular (io riferisco) and related forms (riferisci, riferisce, riferiamo, etc.), but the imperfect is regular.

Usage notes: Riferire is typically used in formal or written contexts such as journalism, reports, or bureaucratic language, where someone conveys information to another person or authority. It contrasts with riporta/reportare in some senses; riferire emphasizes the act of conveying what was said or what was found, rather than simply recounting or listing items. It often appears with a di + noun (riferire di qualcosa) or with a che-clause (riferire che qualcuno abbia affermato). Common synonyms include riporto, comunicare, menzionare.

Examples: Io riferivo al responsabile i dettagli dell’indagine. Il rapporto riferisce che i risultati sono incongruenti. Ha riferito che l’incontro è stato posticipato.