what is the italian imperfect tense?

Question

and also reflexives...can you help?
any good websites / ways to remember?

Answer 1

The Italian language has an 'imperfect past tense' and an 'imperfect future tense'. The 'imperfect past tense' is used to mean 'an action which was done or occurred (for a certain period of time) in the past but that is now over' or 'an action somebody was used to do, but he's not anymore'. So, this tense can have different uses. For instance, in the sentence 'Mentre guardavo la tv, mi sono addormentato' ('While I was watching the TV, I fell asleep'), the verb 'guardavo' (I was watching) is an imperfect past tense. But I can also say, 'Da bambino mangiavo tanta cioccolata' ('When I was a child, I was used to eat a lot of chocolate'), where 'mangiavo' (I was used to eat) is also an imperfect past tense. Another use of the past tense is here: 'A mia mamma non piaceva il cinema americano, ma ora ha cambiato idea' ('My mother didn't like American movies, but has now changed her mind') where 'non piaceva' (didn't like) is a negative form of an imperfect tense too.
The imperfect future tense is more difficult to explain; it refers to something that is already finished in a likely future or to something occurred in the past but that cannot be described properly as you are not sure about its details. Here it is an example: 'Avro` guidato per due o tre ore' ('I've been driving for maybe two or three hours'), where 'avro` guidato' ('I've been driving maybe') is an imperfect future, a compound verb which consists in a future simple plus a past participle; literally translated it sounds like this: 'I'll have driven'. As I'm not able to explain properly this tense in just a few sentences, I advice you to check a good grammar book or to look on the Internet.
A reflexive verb is used to mean that a subject directs an action upon him/her/itself. For instance, 'Mi ero perso' ('I lost my way') is a reflexive verb, as in Italian it literally means 'I lost myself'. If I say 'Mentre usavo il coltello , mi sono tagliato un dito!' ('While I was using a knife, I cut my finger!), 'Mi sono tagliato un dito' ('I cut my finger') is a reflexive form, because it literally means 'I cut a finger to myself'. Another example is here: 'Mi sbagliavo' ('I was wrong'), which, if literally transated into English, would mean something like 'I did wrong myself' or 'I did mistake myself'.
Look in the Internet for 'Italian grammar' or 'Italian verbs' and you'll find what you are seeking for.

Answer 2

In all of the languages I have studied, the imperfect translates as was + verb. Most languages have two past tenses: preterite/aorist, and the imperfect. Preterite includes sudden past tense verbs (stopped, looked, saw, etc.) while the imperfect covers the other verbs (was, was stopping, was looking, etc. or used to + verb; used to play, used to laugh).

Reflexives: myself, yourself, himself, etc.

Answer 3

The past. Especially Mousillini

Answer 4

It relies upon what you desire to assert: "Loro erano amici da molto pace" potential "they were acquaintances for a protracted time". in case you desire to assert "they have been acquaintances for a protracted time" you ought to use the present stressful: "Loro sono amici da molto pace". the rationalization for it is harder to describe. The *actual* key's why English makes use of the suited/previous stressful in sentences like this whilst (a) good judgment and (b) very nearly each and every language interior the international makes use of the present stressful in sentences which incorporate this.

Answer 5

Imperfect tense: io parlavo,I spoke;io scrvevo,I wrote and so on
Reflexive tenso:io mi guardo,I look at myself;io mi lavo,I wash myself and so on