Queste sono le espressioni temporali che si usano con l'imperfetto.
(These are the time expressions used with the imperfect tense.)
- These expressions indicate repeated or continuous actions in the past.
- "Ogni", "di solito", "sempre" indicate a habitual action.
- "Mentre" indicates that two actions happen at the same time.
| Espressione (Expression) | Esempio (Example) |
|---|---|
| Ogni giorno (Every day) | Io studiavo l'italiano ogni giorno. (I studied Italian every day.) |
| Sempre (Always) | Bevevo sempre sempre un caffè all'università. (I drank always always a coffee at the university.) |
| Tutte le settimane (Every week) | Lei andava in biblioteca tutte le settimane. (She went to the library every week.) |
| Di solito (Usually) | Di solito superavamo gli esami senza problemi. (Usually we passed the exams without any problems.) |
| Spesso (Often) | Spesso dirigevo nuovi progetti all'università. (Often I managed new projects at the university.) |
| Mentre (While) | Mentre mi laureavo, lavoravo anche part-time. (While I was graduating, I was also working part-time.) |
Exercise 1: Multiple choice
Instruction: Choose the correct answer
1. All'università studiavo in biblioteca ____ dopo le lezioni.
At university I used to study in the library ____ after classes.2. ____ pagavo la retta a settembre, appena iniziava il semestre.
____ I paid the tuition in September, as soon as the semester started.3. Superavo ____ gli esami, ma a volte non passavo quello di statistica.
I passed ____ the exams, but sometimes I didn’t pass the statistics one.4. ____ facevo il tirocinio, seguivo anche un corso serale di italiano.
____ I was doing the internship, I was also taking an evening Italian course.Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct sentence with the imperfect tense and the appropriate time expression.
Exercise 3: Rewrite the phrases
Instruction: Rewrite the sentences by putting the verb into the imperfect tense and using the indicated time expression (e.g.: “Every day: I study” → “Every day I used to study”).
-
⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ExampleOgni giorno studiavo l'italiano dopo il lavoro.(Every day, I used to study Italian after work.)
-
⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ExampleBevevo sempre un caffè al bar vicino all'ufficio.(I always used to have a coffee at the bar near the office.)
-
⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ExampleTutte le settimane andavo in biblioteca il sabato mattina.(Every week, I used to go to the library on Saturday morning.)
-
⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ExampleDi solito tornavamo a casa in autobus.(Usually, we used to go home by bus.)
Exercise 4: Grammar in action
Instruction: Speak in pairs: one asks questions, the other describes past routines and habits.
- Com’era un tuo semestre tipo: lezioni, studio e pagamento della retta? (What was a typical semester like for you: classes, studying, and paying tuition?)
- Cosa facevi di solito prima di un esame e cosa succedeva se non lo superavi? (What did you usually do before an exam and what happened if you didn’t pass it?)
- Seguivo il corso ogni giorno e studiavo nel pomeriggio. (I attended the course every day and studied in the afternoon.)
- Di solito pagavo la retta all’inizio del semestre. (I usually paid the tuition at the beginning of the semester.)
- Spesso facevo il tirocinio per avere esperienza pratica. (I often did an internship to gain practical experience.)
- ogni giorno + imperfetto (every day + imperfect)
- di solito/sempre/spesso + imperfetto (usually/always/often + imperfect)
- mentre + imperfetto (while + imperfect)
