spiegava

Spiegava is the imperfect indicative form of the Italian verb spiegare, meaning to explain. It is used for the third-person singular (lui/lei) and, in the formal register, for Lei. The full imperfect conjugation of spiegare is: io spiegavo, tu spiegavi, lui/lei spiegava, noi spiegavamo, voi spiegavate, loro spiegavano.

Etymology and scope: Spiegare derives from Latin explicare, “to unfold, to explain.” In Italian, spiegava expresses an ongoing or repeated past action of explaining, often as background information or as part of a narrative setting. It can also appear in reported or indirect speech when recounting past explanations. The imperfect contrasts with spiegò (passato remoto) or ha spiegato/spiegato (passato prossimo), which indicate a completed explanation.

Usage notes and examples: In narrative or descriptive contexts, spiegava conveys that someone was in the process of explaining over a period of time. Examples include: “Quando era giovane, la maestra spiegava pazientemente i concetti difficili.” (When she was young, the teacher explained the difficult concepts patiently.) “L’oratore spiegava i dettagli al pubblico.” (The speaker was explaining the details to the audience.) “Mentre spiegava, gli studenti prendevano appunti.” (While he was explaining, the students took notes.)

See also: Spiegare, and related tenses such as spiegai, spiegò, spiegando.