Confused about the imperfetto? You are not alone.
When you start learning past tenses in Italian, you may begin to notice the imperfetto and feel unsure about how and when to use it. So, if you are ready to study this tense or feel a little confused by it, read on.
The good news is that the imperfetto is not complicated when you understand its purpose. It is not mainly used to talk about single finished actions. Instead, it helps you describe what life was like in the past, what used to happen, and what was part of a routine.
One very common use of the imperfetto: past habits
One of the most natural and frequent uses of the imperfetto is to talk about habits and routines in the past, especially when describing childhood, daily life, or repeated experiences.
For example:
• Andavo a scuola a piedi. (I used to walk to school.)
• Mangiavo sempre con la mia famiglia. (I always ate with my family.)
• Giocavo spesso con i miei amici. (I often played with my friends.)
These sentences do not describe one specific action. They describe things that happened regularly over a period of time. That is why the imperfetto is the natural choice in these situations.
As always, context is essential to truly understand how a tense works, so here is a short story to see the imperfetto in action.
Language in context: My childhood
Quando ero piccolo, vivevo in un paesino tranquillo e passavo molto tempo all’aperto. Mi piaceva andare a scuola e amavo la mia insegnante. Dopo la scuola andavo spesso fuori con i miei amici e giocavamo insieme fino a sera. La domenica pranzavamo sempre con tutta la famiglia e parlavamo a lungo a tavola.
To fully grasp the story, start by underlining all that you understand in the text. Then read it again and notice how often the verbs describe habits, routines, and feelings rather than single events.
Now we can look more closely at the tense.
In this short story, the speaker is not describing one specific day, but a period of life and typical routines. Verbs such as vivevo, andavo, giocavamo, and pranzavamo all express repeated actions and habits in the past, which is exactly why the imperfetto is used.
But what about mi piaceva and amavo? These verbs express feelings and emotions in the past, which is another very common and natural use of the imperfetto.
Self-paced course on imperfetto indicativo
Usually £30, buy now for £15 (use code: SPRING26)
*Offer ends 13th March 2026
From understanding to actually using the imperfetto
The imperfetto is not just a tense to memorise, but one that you gradually learn to understand through context, repetition, and exposure to real Italian. Many learners recognise it when reading or listening, but still feel unsure when they try to use it themselves.
This is completely normal, especially if you are studying the past tenses for the first time or have only recently encountered the imperfetto.
Want to feel more confident with the imperfetto?
If you are about to study the imperfetto or still feel unsure about how it works, my self-paced Imperfetto course is designed to guide you step by step with clear explanations, structured lessons, and plenty of practice you can complete at your own pace.
Inside the course, you will find:
• Step-by-step video lessons
• Interactive games and practice exercises
• A dedicated vocabulary bank
• A bonus story speaking pack to help you apply the tense in context
• A learning tracker to support your progress
The course is designed to help you understand when and why the imperfetto is used, so you can describe past habits, emotions, and life situations in a clearer and more natural way, without feeling overwhelmed by long grammar explanations.
Self-paced course on imperfetto indicativo
Usually this is £30, buy now for £15 (use code: SPRING26)
*Offer ends 13th March 2026
