vivevano

Vivevano is the third person plural imperfect indicative form of the Italian verb vivere, meaning “they lived” or “they were living.” It is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, or to set a scene in narrative discourse.

Originating from Latin vivere, the form follows the regular Italian imperfect conjugation for -ere verbs. The stem is vive-, and the ending for the third person plural is -vano, yielding vivevano. The imperfect contrasts with the passato prossimo, which marks completed past actions, whereas the imperfect emphasizes duration, repetition, or background states.

In usage, vivevano appears in literature, journalism, and everyday speech to convey past circumstances without focusing on a definite endpoint. It often describes settings, routines, or conditions that were in effect for a period of time. The tense can also frame a contrast with actions later completed or with other actions in the same narrative (e.g., in changes of state or situation).

Example: “Quando erano giovani, vivevano in campagna e lavoravano la terra.” This illustrates how the imperfect conveys a past lifestyle and ongoing state rather than a single completed event.

See also: vivere, Italian grammar, imperfect tense.