Imperfect subjunctive Italian (congiuntivo imperfetto)
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The congiuntivo imperfetto is another important tense of the subjunctive mood.
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The imperfect subjunctive appears in the same contexts in which both present and past subjunctive appear. Indeed, it is used in independent and dependent (final, concessive, conditional, relative and temporal) clauses to convey:
Example | Translation |
---|---|
Nonostante Luca fosse una persona buona, la gente non parlava molto con lui. | Despite that Luca was a good boy, people didn't talk much with him. |
Temevo che Andrea avesse mangiato troppo. | I was afraid that Andrew just ate too much. |
Se ci avessero offerto quel lavoro, l'avremmo accettato. | If we were offered that job, we would take it. |
Italian imperfect subjunctive is mainly used to express hypotheses. In English, these clauses are the conditional clauses. In Italian, they are called periodi ipotetici.
The periodo ipotetico obviously follows specific rules, such as the agreement of tenses between the verbs of the sentences.
In Italian, the hypothetical sentences of irreality (with past tenses) must be always expressed by the conditional mood in the main clause and the subjunctive in the dependent clause.
Dependent clause (protasis): imperfetto congiuntivo | Main clause (apodosis): condizionale presente |
---|---|
Se io avessi sete (If I was thirsty) | berrei. (I would drink) |
Nel caso in cui io avessi bisogno (If I needed something) | ti chiamerei. (I would call you) |
Below we will see how the imperfect subjunctive in Italian is formed.
As we saw for the present subjunctive, regular verbs in the past subjunctive are formed through specific endings. These endings are different according to the conjugations (-are, -ere, -ire).
Let's see them in detail.
Root | Ending | Example | Translation | |
---|---|---|---|---|
(Che) io | am | -assi | E se io la amassi? | What if I love her? |
(Che) tu | am | -assi | E se tu la amassi? | What if you love her? |
(Che) egli / ella | am | -asse* | E se ella la amasse? | What if she loves her? |
(Che) noi | am | -àssimo | E se noi la amassimo? | What if we love her? |
(Che) voi | am | -aste | E se voi la amaste? | What if you love her? |
(Che) essi / esse | am | -àssero | E se esse la amassero? | What if they love her? |
Root | Endings | Example | Translation | |
---|---|---|---|---|
(Che) io | prem | -éssi | Se io avessi tanti soldi, girerei il mondo. | If I had a lot of money, I would go around the world. |
(Che) tu | prem | -éssi | Non sapevo che premessi tu il pulsante. | I didn't know you were pushing the button. |
(Che) egli / ella | prem | -ésse* | Credevo che lei avesse un cane. | I thought she had a dog. |
(Che) noi | prem | -éssimo | Se noi premessimo per farlo uscire, lui non verrebbe mai con noi. | If we pressed on him, he would never go out with us. |
(Che) voi | prem | -éste | Non credevo che voi russaste così tanto. | I didn't think you snored so much. |
(Che) essi / esse | prem | -éssero | Qualora Luca e Laura parlassero tedesco, andrebbero in Germania. | If Luca and Laura spoke German, they would go in Germany. |
Root | Endings | Example | Translation | |
---|---|---|---|---|
(Che) io | serv | -issi | Tu credevi che io servissi i pasti al ristorante. | You thought I served meals at the restaurant. |
(Che) tu | serv | -issi | Lui credeva che tu servissi i pasti al ristorante. | He tought you served meals at the restaurant. |
(Che) egli / ella | serv | -isse* | Credevo che egli servisse i pasti al ristorante. | I thought he served meals at the restaurant. |
(Che) noi | serv | -ìssimo | Credevano che servissimo i pasti al ristoranti. | They thought we served meals at the restaurant. |
(Che) voi | serv | -iste | Credevano che voi serviste i pasti al ristorante. | They thought you served meals at the restaurant. |
(Che) essi / esse | serv | -issero | Credevi che servissero i pasti al ristorante? | Did you think they served meals at the restaurant? |
* Remember! The 3° singular person in the imperfect tense of subjunctive is different from the 1° and the 2° ones; otherwise, present and past subjunctive have the same endings for the singular forms.
As we said before, in Italian there a lot of irregular verb forms. Most of them are verbs from the 2° conjugation (the infinitive ends with -ere).
The peculiarity of these verbs is that they don't follow any inflectional pattern or any grammatical rule, so they must be learned by heart.
Dare (to give) | Stare (to stay) | Bere (to drink) | Porre (to put, to set) | Trarre (to pull) | Tradurre (to translate) | Dire (to say) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(Che) io | dessi | stessi | bevessi | ponessi | traessi | traducessi | dicessi |
(Che) tu | dessi | stessi | bevessi | ponessi | traessi | traducessi | dicessi |
(Che) egli / ella | desse | stesse | bevesse | ponesse | traesse | traducesse | dicesse |
(Che) noi | dessimo | stessimo | bevessimo | ponessimo | traessimo | traducessimo | dicessimo |
(Che) voi | deste | steste | beveste | poneste | traeste | traduceste | diceste |
(Che) essi / esse | dessero | stessero | bevessero | ponessero | traestero | traducessero | dicessero |
As you know, essere (to be) and avere (to have) are the auxiliary verbs in Italian.
Verb form | Example | Translation | |
---|---|---|---|
(Che) io | fossi | Non sapevano che io fossi vegano? | Didn't they know I was vegan? |
(Che) tu | fossi | Non sapevo che tu fossi così fortunato! | I didn't know you were so lucky! |
(Che) egli / ella | fosse | Non sapevamo che lei fosse fidanzata. | We didn't know she was engaged. |
(Che) noi | fossimo | Non sapevi che noi fossimo italiani? | Didn't you know we were italians? |
(Che) voi | foste | Ero sicuro che voi foste così giovani! | I was sure you were so young! |
(Che) essi / esse | fossero | Non sapevo che esse fossero così gentili! | I didn't know they were so much polite! |
Verb form | Example | Translation | |
---|---|---|---|
(Che) io | avessi | Pensavi che io avessi fame? | Did you think I was hungry? |
(Che) tu | avessi | Pensavo che tu avessi fame! | I thought you were hungry! |
(Che) egli / ella | avesse | Non immaginavo che egli avesse tanta fame. | I didn't imagine he was so hungry! |
(Che) noi | avessimo | Dubitano ancora che noi avessimo tanta fame quella sera. | They still doubt we were so hungry that night. |
(Che) voi | aveste | Lei sicuramente non sapeva che voi aveste così tanta fame. | She didn't know for sure you were so much hungry! |
(Che) essi / esse | avessero | Io non sapevo che loro avessero fame. | I didn't know they were so hungry. |
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Maria is a well-structured teacher that is fluent in both russian and spanish. I recommend her to anyone!
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Bonjour à tous!
My name is Daniel, and I have been an online and face-to-face French teacher for more than 5 years (I work at the Alliance Française of Burgos and I have been teaching private classes online and face-to-face for several years).
I have experience in teaching children, teenagers and adults, whether for professional or educational purposes or simply for the pleasure of learning a language as beautiful as French.
I also have experience in preparing official exams such as DELF (A1-B2) and DALF (C1/C2), and I have many exam samples at my disposal to help you achieve your goal!
À très bientôt!!!
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Daniel is a teacher with a lot of experience in teaching and plenty of materials. .I can totally recommend him
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Hi! I have been teaching Italian for several years and I offer Italian lessons for all levels and all ages. In my lessons I often use ad hoc didactized Italian movies and songs, to bring students closer to the authentic language and culture and I always try to stimulate interest in literature. I try to start each lesson with a motivating lexical activization and then to analyze in detail the text (video, audio, written, oral) to face also some grammatical or cultural aspects. I always try to make the lessons fun using even educational games. I’m avaible for individual and group lessons and exam preparation.
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Serena is really good teacher. I like it to learn with her. We have very good conversations in different themes like italian food, sports, italian and german culture, politics and the real life. This is a good way to learn how to speak italian in a natural way. Not to forget, she is very authenticly and funny :-)
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Hi! My name is Tiphaine, I'm french, I'm 37 years old and I live in Seville.
I grew up in the outside of Paris, I travelled all over the world and I live in Spain for 10 years now.
I'm a musician, a dancer and I love to cook and hike.
I'm a french teacher, and it's my passion! I speak 3 languages, and thanks to my learning I was able to live amazing experiences in many countries.
That's why I became a teacher, to be able to share with you my love for french language and culture and to guide you in your progress.
For me, each language is a way of seeing and interpreting the world, as glasses of different colors.
Understanding the way a language works is understanding how its people see things; it's such a exciting process, I can't wait to share it with you!
I have more than 8 years experience, in schools, companies and universities.
I work with people from all ages, beginners to advanced. I know most of french manuals.
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I can offer you thematic courses, to improve your pronunciation, increase your vocabulary, prepare you for traveling or for a new job.
All my classes are in french, I adapt my vocabulary and speech speed according to your level.
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I use diversified ressources, from quizz to podcasts, videos, songs and games.
Whatever are your motivations, if you want to learn french in a pleasurable and rewarding way, book a class with me!
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Tiphaine is a very competent and experienced French teacher. She prepares the lessons very carefully and focuses on all relevant aspects such as conversation, grammar and vocabulary. Above all, she has a very friendly personality that makes you feel at ease immediately. I can highly recommend her as a French teacher.
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Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
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Thank you for putting up with all my mistakes today! We had plenty of conversation practice although the listening we did was quite tough but very useful .
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Hello,
I am a multilingual teacher with experience in teaching French to German, Japanese, English, Bulgarian and Italian-speaking students, etc. (levels A1 to C1).
I have been teaching French for 8 years in Luxemburg and now in Bulgaria for 4 years, to teenagers, housewives, businessmen, employees, doctors, etc. I can also help you with DELF and DALF preparation. I give lessons via Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams in several countries.
My teaching method for each class : a grammar point together with listening, a lot of speaking with conversation questions or games. While you speak, I write all the new words you need to express yourself, illustrated by pictures or translated in your language.
I do my best to make you feel comfortable to speak and for you to have a pleasant time. According to me, using humour will help you learn more easily.
Whether you need to learn French for business, integration in a French-speaking country or studying, I will be happy to help you. Do not hesitate to contact me for a free trial lesson.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Katia
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Katia is a very sweet person, her pronunciation is BEAUTIFUL and she’s very knowledgeable. I loved my lessons with her. I highly recommend her
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Would you like to learn a new language and need somebody to guide you? I am the right person for you
Learning a foreign language is always a good investment: it broadens your cultural horizons, it increases dramatically your employability and it helps your business penetrate foreign markets.
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Ilaria is a very well-structured and experienced teacher for Spanish, English and Italian! I totally recommend her to anyone!
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Hello, everybody ! My name is Elena. I’m a native Italian speaker, I’m 49 years old and live in Turin. I am a certified CEDILS teacher, I graduated in Foreign Languages and Literature in Milan and have been working as a teacher of Italian for more than 10 years. I speak English and German. I attended specialization courses for Italian L2 teachers and I am interviewer for C1 PLIDA exam.
Are you seeking a friendly and dynamic study environment ? I got what you need. I am looking forward to being in touch with new students and organize pleasant, interesting and fruitful courses.
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Elena is a great teacher. She adapts really well to the individual level and needs of the student and easily identifies whatever it is you are struggling with. Elena teaches as a profession, and this really makes a big difference. She explains very clearly and the lessons are always fun.
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Hello my name is Lucia and I am a native Italian speaker.
I have a degree as an interpreter for English and French so I know how hard it may be to learn a foreign language. I work as a free-lance interpreter and private English and French teacher. I have a strong passion for languages which I have been studying for many years. I am studying Spanish now and always trying to improve my English and French knowledge. I am a friendly person and my lessons mainly focus on conversation. As a teacher I am very patient and I always propose tailor-made lessons with respect to your needs. I am really enthusiastic about being a teacher because this activity allows you to share your culture and habits with foreign people. Learning a language is also learning a new culture.
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It is difficult to judge a teacher properly after a first lesson. Moreover, due to my fault, the internet connection did not go very well. Despite the foregoing, I was very satisfied with the first lesson.
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Hello everyone!
ABOUT ME
I was born and have grown up in Johannesburg, South Africa. I am passionate about football, traveling ( who isn't ! ), and reading books that make me want to stay indoors and read all day! But I have many interests and the most exciting thing is getting a chance to talk to you about all of them and finding out about your interests too. This is one way we will practice your English skills and together we will set goals and aims to make you perfect in English.
ME AS A TEACHER
I have completed the 120 hour CELTA course, including six hours’ assessed teaching practice at two different levels. This is in addition to my Bachelor of Arts and Higher Diploma in Education qualifications.
I have taught student's in classrooms from Johannesburg, to London and Athens from as young as 13 right up to adults. This included business people and corporate individuals such as bankers. I am excellent at teaching from pre-intermediate to proficiency and with my business background, I am ready to help with Business English. In addition, I can greatly help with any exam preparation for IELTS, TOEFL, and TOEIC.
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I teach because it has always been the one thing I am most passionate about. It’s this very feeling and passion that helps me create lessons that are well prepared, with a focus on short term and long terms goals and lessons that we will do as a team. I do believe strongly that any teaching is done as a partnership.
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Angelo is competent, funny and a really good teacher. I totally recommend him to everyone who wants to be taught in English professionally. His lessons are extremely well structured and adjusted individually.
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Hi there, I’m Letizia!
I've always had a great passion for languages and have made it my life's work.
I have been teaching English, Spanish and Italian as second languages (L2) to international students for 7 years now. I mainly work with teenagers and adults, but I also have experience with school-age children.
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Very professional. Well thought out and planned lessons. Materials to prep for lesson sent out well in advance.
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Hi, welcome to my profile!
My name is Alessia and I currently live in Italy. I spent a few years in the United States where I deepened my knowledge of English and American dialects. I am currently specializing in Spanish and German. Over the years, I have given private lessons in Italian, English, Spanish, and Japanese, with Japanese being the most requested at the moment. Regarding Japanese, I had the opportunity to teach the language at an American college with a native Japanese teacher, applying the method that they use to learn their own language. I will help you in a simple way; conversation is really important for learning a language, and a good method is even more fundamental. No days spent on textbooks are needed; consistency and fun during lessons are the most important parts of learning. You will see results right away! I am patient, flexible, and will adapt in every way to your personal needs. I look forward to seeing you on my profile for a trial lesson and discovering an easy and fun method to learn a language as soon as possible.
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I Have had a few weeks of Italian lessons with Alessia and I have found them very useful. In our first lesson we spoke about what I wanted (hoped) to learn and she has prepared resources based on this conversation and my ability level for every lesson since then. Her lessons are a nice mix of conversation, reading, written and spoken exercises. We use a text book (supplied by Alessia) as well as additional material when suitable. I recommend Alessia as a tutor.
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I am Chiara an I am a native italian teacher. I hold a degree in linguistic and teaching italian as a second language.
I also hold CEDILS certificate in teaching italian as a foreign language.
I worked in an australian college for a year and I also have been working for three years in a language school in the centre of Florence with people from all the countries around the world.: Brazil, Cina, England, France, United States and many more.
I love writing, travelling and sport.
When we will learn italian together we will start from your level and your goals.
We will do grammar lessons, conversation lessons, everything you need to reach your goal and we will do all of this having fun.
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Above all, Chiara is very resourceful. She can talk to you on any subject, that is, if you are interested in speaking Italian. She is patient, assists you with every little step. I could not expect anything better!
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Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
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I asked Daniela to help me with pronunciation. She pays careful attention, and corrects my pronunciation as needed.
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Buongiorno gente!
Are you ready to learn italian with me?
My name is Mojra and I'm a qualified mother tongue tutor. Whether you need to prepare yourself for a job interview, you're planning to relocate to Italy or to spend your next holiday there, I look forward to assisting you to achieve your goals!
I am here to help you improve you grammar, sentence structure and to teach you helpful phrases in a fun and relaxed way.
I graduated from university majoring in Linguistic Mediation and in Modern Languages and then I specialized in the teaching of Italian as a second language, attending a one-year post-graduate course devoted to this and receiving excellent grades (FILIS: Formatori Interculturali di Lingua Italiana per Stranieri). I also teach in the Italian public schools.
If you'd like to learn Italian fluently, I'd love to be your teacher, then why not book a trial class with me now? In this lesson, we will design a lesson plan especially for you discussing how you will reach your specific goals.
IMPORTANT: Please contact me before booking your lesson with me and let me know your Italian level as well as the reasons why you want to learn Italian.
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I've now had 2 lessons with Mojra and I can warmly recommend her. We keep the lessons in Italian, which I really enjoy. Mojra is a kind and patient teacher who listens to you and your wishes in regards to what you want to focus on during the classes. Mi piacciono molto le mie lezioni con Mojra e non vedo l'ora per le nostre lezioni in futuro!
Mojra G.Thanks for your nice words Sofia, see you next lesson!
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