Past perfect (trapassato prossimo) in Italian
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The trapassato prossimo is a compound tense that belongs to the indicative mood.
Example:
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The trapassato prossimo can be found in sentences together with the passato prossimo, imperfetto or passato remoto.
Passato prossimo |
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Imperfetto |
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Passato remoto |
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The trapassato prossimo is formed as follows:
Imperfetto of the auxiliary verb + past participle (participio passato)
Regular verbs form the trapassato prossimo as follows:
Example mangiare (to eat)
Imperfetto auxiliary verb | Participio passato main verb | Example | Translation | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Io | avevo | mangiato | Io avevo mangato una fragola | I had eaten a strawberry |
Tu | avevi | mangiato | Tu avevi mangiato una fragola | You had eaten a strawberry |
Egli/Ella | aveva | mangiato | Egli aveva mangato una fragola | He had eaten a strawberry |
Noi | avevamo | mangiato | Noi avevamo mangiato una fragola | We had eaten a strawberry |
Voi | avevate | mangiato | Voi avevate mangiato una fragola | You had eaten a strawberry |
Essi/Esse | avevano | mangiato | Essi avevano mangiato una fragola | They had eaten a strawberry |
Example credere (to believe)
Imperfetto auxiliary verb | Participio passato main verb | Example | Translation | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Io | avevo | creduto | Io avevo creduto alla sua storia | I had believed to his story |
Tu | avevi | creduto | Tu avevi creduto alla sua storia | You had believed to his story |
Egli/Ella | aveva | creduto | Egli aveva creduto alla sua storia | He had believed to his story |
Noi | avevamo | creduto | Noi avevamo creduto alla sua storia | We had believed to his story |
Voi | avevate | creduto | Voi avevate creduto alla sua storia | You had believed to his story |
Essi/Esse | avevano | creduto | Essi avevano creduto alla sua storia | They had believed to his story |
Example partire (to leave)
Imperfetto auxiliary verb | Participio passato main verb | Example | Translation | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Io | ero | partito/a* | Io ero partito troppo tardi | I had left too late |
Tu | eri | partito/a* | Tu eri partito troppo tardi | You had left too late |
Egli/Ella | era | partito/a* | Egli era partito troppo tardi | He had left too late |
Noi | eravamo | partiti/e* | Noi eravamo partiti troppo tardi | We had left too late |
Voi | eravate | partiti/e* | Voi eravate partiti troppo tardi | You had left too late |
Essi/Esse | erano | partiti/e* | Essi erano partiti troppo tardi | They had left too late |
*Remember that when you use the auxiliary verb essere, the participio passato must agree with the subject in gender and number!
Here are some verbs that form the trapassato prossimo in an irregular way. The conjugation of such verbs has to be studied by heart.
Dire (to say) | Chiedere (to ask) | Bere (to drink) | Correggere (to correct) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Io | avevo detto | avevo chiesto | avevo bevuto | avevo corretto |
Tu | avevi detto | avevi chiesto | avevi bevuto | avevi corretto |
Egli/Ella | aveva detto | aveva chiesto | aveva bevuto | aveva corretto |
Noi | avevamo detto | avevamo chiesto | avevamo bevuto | avevamo corretto |
Voi | avevate detto | avevate chiesto | avevate bevuto | avevate corretto |
Essi/Esse | avevano detto | avevano chiesto | avevano bevuto | avevano corretto |
Example:
Here is the conjugation for the auxiliary verbs essere and avere in the trapassato prossimo
Essere (to be) | Avere (to have) | |
---|---|---|
Io | ero stato/a | avevo avuto |
Tu | eri stato/a | avevi avuto |
Egli/Ella | era stato/a | aveva avuto |
Noi | eravamo stati/e | avevamo avuto |
Voi | eravate stati/e | avevato avuto |
Essi/Esse | erano stati/e | avevano avuto |
Example:
Now don't forget to test your knowledge with our exercises on the trapassato prossimo!
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Hi! My name is Federica, and I am a certified teacher of Italian as a foreign language.
I have 3 + years of experience as a teacher, and I have also been a translator/proofreader for almost three decades. I can speak English, a bit of German, French and Spanish, as well as very, very basic Swedish. In short, I know just how it feels to be a learner of a foreign language, too!
One thing I know is that learning a language is more effective - and much more fun - when teaching is personalized. That's why I don't follow any single textbook: I like to try and choose the texts and exercises which are best suited to my students' interests. I also prefer to use "real" material such as magazine articles, songs, videos, etc., so you'll get an authentic feel for the language.
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She speaks so softly and understandable. Always cooperating with the student. I'd recommend her especially for grammar studies.
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Hi!
My name is Mariateresa, I'm Italian and I teach English, Italian and Spanish to foreign students.
Having lived in Spain during my last year at University, I moved to the UK, where I lived for the next five years. My English at that time was quite poor and I made a living by doing various jobs.
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Teaching allows me to fully express myself and my personal qualities, such as patience and an ability to give my full attention to other people. By giving students a space in which to express themselves without fear, I create a safe, non-judgemental environment.
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I provide students with a solid grammar base, but also help them to understand the application and use of the language in everyday life. At the same time, I tailor the lesson to suit the students' main interests – such as grammar, speaking, pronunciation, writing or exam preparation. I teach students of different levels, from beginners to advanced.
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Lessons with Mariateresa are fascinating. She has new ideas and very interesting learning materials. She makes you really enjoy Italian and Italian culture.Beside the lessons she really motivated me to do more homework! Moreover she is a very cultured person. I am very happy.
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I prepare tailored lessons based on the students' needs and interests using textbooks, videos, interactive resources and ad-hoc materials.
If you want to learn Italian and know more about the culture, food, art and traditions, don't hesitate to get in touch!
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MariaRosa has been very patient, pleasant and encouraging. She is very conscientious and prepares well. She has developed a learning plan based on my requests. I enjoy the lessons and find them very useful
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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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Ana is a genuinely nice person and her kindness and gentleness comes through in the lessons. I thoroughly enjoy Ana’s teaching , it’s informative and tailored exactly to what I want to achieve. I wholeheartedly recommend Ana as your Spanish tutor.
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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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Daniela is very nice and a very good teacher. We are moving at a good pace and she is helping me a lot so far.
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I am from Calabria, but over the years I have felt at home in various places. In each one I have searched for my way and in the end in each one I have found little clues that have allowed me to understand that I want to teach my language to those who do not yet know it.
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So, between one suitcase and another, I graduated in Italian literature and specialised in journalism, then I obtained the Ditals II from the University for Foreigners of Siena and the two-year specialisation school as a teacher of Italian to foreigners at the same university.
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I look forward to sharing more details of my experience and motivations with you. Thank you for your time consideration.
Sincerely,
Federica Lento
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Just great experience! Thank you. To be continued. What a nice and easy platform. Good and interesting teacher.. Congradulations. Nina
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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).
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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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I am a private teacher in English, German and Italian. I am a Master's graduate in Translation and Interpreting at the University of Genoa, Italy. I am Italian native speaker. I know English and German at C2 level and Russian at B2 level.
I have been studying English for the last 15 years, first at school and then at the university and I have improved it on my frequent stays abroad. I have now been teaching English for 4 years, first to school children and teenagers and now adults too. I have experience teaching online and at home. I also have taught group classes.
Being fluent in several languages allows me to give students further explainations in their native language when needed. This also allows me to put myself in my students' shoes and understand better their difficulties. I try to meet the student's personal needs and objectives rather than impose my standard class.
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Federico is an exceptional teacher. He is patient, knowledgable and makes learning much less stressful. In the short time I've been working with him I feel that my Italian has grown so much faster. He has so many resources to share with his students and helps to coach me through the difficult parts of language learning! I highly recommend him to anyone wanted to learn Italian, it is truly a wonderful experience.
Federico C.Thank you Dan for the great review! A student like you makes everything easier. I hope to continue like that!
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Hello Everybody
My name is Luisa and I teach Italian for foreign students, English, French and German for Italian students
Since 1994, I have dedicated myself to translating and teaching thanks to my travels, abroad studies, foreign reading and writing. I provide fun and customized lessons based on the student's goals. I also triy to minimize English speaking during the lessons. I give homework exercises, and my lessons are intermixed with grammar, conversation, customs and traditions. My goal is to make certain that each student finds learning Italian exciting.
I am available for any explanations also via e mail
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Luisa is wonderful! She takes what my specific goals for learning Italian (how to communicate while traveling around Italy) into consideration and created an individualized lesson plan.
Luisa A.Dear Shraddha thank you, thank you so much for your kind message. It was a real pleasure to meet you !!! See you on Friday ciao ciao
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Maria is a well-structured teacher that is fluent in both russian and spanish. I recommend her to anyone!
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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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.
Do you wish to learn or improve your Italian to speak with your parents or friends? Do you need Italian for work or study ? Do you simply love Italian language and culture ? Do you need to improve your writing skills ?
My classes are tailored on your needs and considering your level of knowledge, I create a proper course plan. Classes focus on language and on the possibility for you to improve your ability to speak and understand Italian in your daily life or in work.
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I have worked with children, adolescents and adults for all levels of Italian, from beginner to advanced. I have experience in preparing students to international certification (CILS, PLIDA). I was an A2/B1 Telc examiner.
Learning Italian can be closely related to culture, literature, music, sport and any other interest of my students.
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Elena was friendly and encouraging and gave me good advice about preparing for my Italian language exam. I am looking forward to more lessons with her :)
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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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She is very calm and always trays to make things easier for you to understand, the material she gives is very helpful and has a lot of tips to remember things
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Welcome to my profile!
My name is Daniela, or “Daniella” as my students call me.
I have been working as Italian teacher for two years to migrants, for refugee centers and humanitarian corridors in Italy. I have had experience with first literacy and also I have worked with begginers and intermidiate students, who I prepared to Linguistic Certification. I have worked with single student and with groups.
My opinion is “Viva l’intercultura”, that means looking at the person’s linguistic needs. Italian lessons become a space where the cultures meet and match each other, and step by step, the student can build the Italian language. For me, the cultures exchange is very important.
I’d rather to teach with an inductive, interactive, and cooperative method, which focus on communication functions, but doesn’t forget the grammar. I use manuals, worksheets, interactive games, songs and video.
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Daniela is an engaging teacher who takes seriously her job. She has a solid knowledge of the Italian grammar as well as fun ideas to teach it. I'm preparing an exam and she is being quite helpful to me, since she takes the time to prepare lessons and homework. I highly recommend to book a trial lesson with her.
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Hi, guys! My name is Lucia and I would like to invite you to learn Italian with me.
I am both a native speaker and a QUALIFIED teacher, as I hold a post-graduate degree in “Teaching Italian as a second language” and a national certification as teacher of Italian to not-native speaking.
My teaching method is COMMUNICATION-oriented and involves also the study of Italian culture and grammar. Indeed, as it happens in your mother language, the knowledge of spare words is not enough to get able to speak (i.e. INTERACT!) properly and conveniently.
I’ll prepare for you all teaching materials, tailoring lessons to your needs and interests, taking advantage from both the huge number of textbooks I hold and my creativity!
I offer lessons for all levels, from absolute beginners to advanced, as well as support in preparation to certification exams (I am also qualified ad examiner for the oral part of CELI).
Do not hesitate to get in contact with me to find a suitable time-slot for your trial lesson!
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Lucia is wonderful! She speaks clearly, is encouraging and engaging. The material she provides is relevant and makes learning fun!
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