Use of the imperfect

1. The imperfect is used to describe a habitual or repeated action. Words or expressions such as:

are frequently used with the imperfect.

A Roma mangiavo spesso gelati.

In Rome, I used to eat ice cream.

Il lunedi andavo alla lezione di italiano.

On Mondays I used to go to Italian class.

2. The Imperfect is used to tell a story.

C' era una volta un burattino che si chiamava Pinocchio...

Once upon a time, there was a puppet whose name was Pinocchio...

3. The imperfect is used to descrive things, people and situations in the past.

II mio migliore amico era alto e allegro e viveva vicino a casa mia.

My best friend was tall and happy and he was living near my house.

4. The imperfect is used to express two actions that occur simultaneously in the past.

Mentre leggevo, Livia giocava.

While I was reading, Livia was playing.

5. The imperfect is used to describe weather, time, and physical and mental states in the past, including age, health, appearance, feelings, attitudes, and beliefs.

In vacanza faceva sempre caldo

On vacation it used to be hot all the time.

I was six in 1970.

Avevo sei anni nel 1970.

Imperfetto vs Passato Prossimo

The imperfetto and passato prossimo are often used together in past narrations.

They express different kinds of actions in the past and cannot be used interchangeably.

1. The Imperfetto describes situations and tells what used to happen.

Ieri ero triste.

Yestarday I was sad.

Quando ero un bambino andavo spesso alla spiaggia.

When I was a child I used to go to the beach.

2. The passato prossimo lists facts and events.

Ieri ho telefonato a un' amica.

Yesterday I called a friend.

Un giomo sono andato in montagna.

One day I went to the mountains.

3. The imperfetto expresses unfinished actions in the past.

Ieri alle dieci dormivo gia`.

Yesterday at ten I was already sleeping.

4. The passato prossimo expresses finished actions in the past.

Ieri ho dormito fino alle dieci.

Yesterday I slept until ten.

Sono arrivata il10 agosto.

I arrived August tenth.

5. The passato prassimo expresses what happened at a certain moment, whereas the imperfetto expresses a state or a habit. Therefore the passato prossimo is the tense used to indicate a change in a state.

Giocavamo a calcio quando e` iniziato a piovere.

We were playing soccer when it started to rain.

Guardavamo la TV quando il telefono e` suonato.

We were watching TV when the telephone rang.