Italiano con Alessandra

Passato Prossimo VS. Imperfetto (parte 3ª)

6/7/2025

When to use Passato Prossimo and when to use Imperfetto is a common challenge for English-speaking Italian learners.
This final post of the 3-part series will share additional distinctions in using one or the other.

Let’s take a look now at the use of the passato prossimo and imperfetto with modal/helping verbs, which can create quite a bit of confusion as to which to choose.
With the verbs dovere, potere, sapere, and volere it is possible to use both the imperfetto and passato prossimo depending on what is being communicated.

The passato prossimo of modal verbs is used when the result is certain.
Esempi:

Ieri ho dovuto accompagnare mio fratello all’aeroporto.
Yesterday I had to take my brother to the airport.
(I needed to take him and I did, in fact, do so.)

Gli ospiti hanno voluto assaggiare il mio limoncello.
The guests wanted to taste my limoncello.
(They wanted to taste it and they did.)

Hanno potuto ricevere un rimborso per il biglietto aereo.
They were able to receive a reimbursement for the airplane ticket.
(They had the possibility of getting reimbursed and they were.)

Ho saputo gestire la situazione senza problemi.
I was able to manage the situation with no problems.
(I was able to manage it and I did so.)

In these instances, the listener or reader understands that the desired action was completed or fulfilled.

On the other hand, the imperfetto of modal/helping verbs is used when the result of the action is uncertain.
Esempi:

Ieri dovevo accompagnare mio fratello all’aeroporto.
Yesterday I needed to take my brother to the airport.
(Whether or not I took him is unknown)

Gli ospiti volevano assaggiare il mio vino.
The guests wanted to taste my wine.
(Whether or not they tasted it is unknown)

Potevano ricevere un rimborso per il biglietto aereo.
They could have received a reimbursement for the airplane ticket.
(Whether or not they received it is unknown)

Sapevo gestire la situazione senza problemi.
I was capable of managing the situation with no problems.
(Whether or not I managed it is unknown)

In the above cases, we might add some information to clarify the circumstances and whether the actions were completed, if it is not already clear:

Ieri dovevo accompagnare mio fratello all’aeroporto, ma la mia auto non aveva la benzina.
Yesterday I needed to take my brother to the airport, but my car was out of petrol.

Gli ospiti volevano assaggiare il mio vino, però poi hanno scelto la grappa.
The guests wanted to taste my wine, but then they chose grappa.

Potevano ricevere un rimborso per il biglietto aereo e ne hanno approfittato.
It was possible for them to receive a reimbursement for the airplane ticket and they took the opportunity.

Sapevo gestire la situazione senza problemi, eppure hanno chiesto altro aiuto.
I was capable of managing the situation with no problems, but still they additional help.

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Passato Prossimo vs. Imperfetto (parte 2ª)

9/3/2023

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When to use Passato Prossimo and when to use Imperfetto is a common challenge for English-speaking Italian learners.
This continuation from the previous post will share additional distinctions in using one or the other.

When using the adverb, sempre:
– when referring to a habitual action in the past that no longer occurs in the present
(“used to”), the imperfetto is used:

Da piccoli, io e mio fratello As children, my brother and I always
litigavamo sempre. used to fight.

– when indicating an action that always occurred/existed in the past and continues in the present, passato prossimo is used:

Ho sempre amato il colore verde. I have always loved the colour green.

Additionally, passato prossimo is used:

To speak of actions in succession or in a list, when the duration or time in which they happened is not relevant:

Nella mia vita, ho vissuto a Londra per un anno, ho frequentato università, ho lavorato come avvocato, e ora sono in pensione.
In my life, I lived in London for a year, I attended university, I worked as a lawyer, and now I am retired.

Conversely, imperfetto* is used:

To speak of simultaneous events in the past, or events that occur in the same time period.

Mentre io parlavo al telefono, i miei figli facevano i compiti.
While I spoke on the telephone, my kids were doing their homework.

*Note that in the examples above the actions do not interrupt another ongoing action. In such a case, the action that interrupts is expressed by passato prossimo, typically with the imperfetto introduced by mentre:

Mentre facevamo colazione, abbiamo ricevuto una chiamata da mio zio.
While we were eating breakfast, we received a call from our lawyer.

Mentre Luca scriveva una e-mail, il computer ha smesso di funzionare.
While Luca was writing an email, the computer stopped working.

Studiavamo quando le luci si sono spente improvvisamente.
We were studying when the lights suddenly went out.

In storytelling, both passato prossimo and imperfetto are used, but in different cases:
Passato prossimo is used:

To move the story along, to advance the development of events.

La festa è stata un successo! Tutti gli ospiti sono rimasti soddisfatti e hanno fatto i complimenti agli organizzatori, poi sono tornati a casa con un sorriso stampato sulle labbra.
The party was a success! All of the guests were satisfied, and they complimented the organizers, then they returned home with a smile on their lips.

Imperfetto is used:

To describe the setting and the context in which the event occurs.

Faceva caldissimo. Il sole splendeva nel cielo e non c'era neanche una nuvola. e Le ragazze ballavano e i bambini si tuffavano in mare.
It was unbelievably hot. The sun shone in the sky, and there wasn't even one cloud. Girls were dancing, and kids were jumping into the sea.

Domande? Lasciatele nei commenti.

Continueremo la prossima volta con la terza parte.

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Passato Prossimo vs. imperfetto (parte 1ª)

20/1/2023

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When to use Passato Prossimo and when to use Imperfetto is a common challenge for English-speaking Italian learners.
While many learners were taught that imperfetto is used for expressing "used to [do]" and "was [doing]", and Passato Prossimo for past actions like "have [done]", English also uses simple past (did, went, slept...) for many past events, while Italian makes a distinction.

One quick way to make a distinction is to pay attention to time expressions:

... often used with Passato Prossimo

stamattina
ieri
l’altro ieri
ieri sera
l’altro giorno
la settimana scorsa
il mese scorso
l’anno scorso
appena

this morning
yesterday
day before yesterday
last night
the other day
last week
last month
last year
just

... often used with Imperfetto

sempre
spesso
di solito
mentre
ogni giorno
da piccolo/a
da giovane
a volte
ogni tanto

always
often
usually
while
every day
when I was little
when I was young
at times
once in a while

Passato Prossimo
esempi:

Ieri sono andato al negozio.
Ho parlato con mia Nonna stamattina.
Ho vissuto a Londra per due anni.
Abbiamo appena mangiato.

I went to the store yesterday.
I spoke with my grandmother this morning.
I lived in London for two years.
We've just eaten.

Imperfetto
esempi:

Da bambina avevo i capelli lisci.
Andavo spesso al cinema.
Da piccoli, ogni estate andavamo in Spagna

Mentre guardavo la TV, mia mamma preparava la cena.

When I was a child I had straight hair.
I often used to go to the movies.
When we were little we used to go to Spain every summer.
While I was watching TV, my mom prepared dinner.

NOTA BENE
If the time period is indefinite but the action occurred a specific number of times, the passato prossimo is used:

Sono andata a trovare i nonni centinaia di volte.

Da piccola ho guardato una volta un film horror che mi ha davvero spaventato.

I've visited my grandparents hundreds of times.

When I was little I once watched a horror film that really scared me.

Domande? Lasciatele nei commenti!

Continueremo la prossima volta con la seconda parte.

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Passato Prossimo VS. Imperfetto (parte 3ª)

Passato Prossimo vs. Imperfetto (parte 2ª)

Passato Prossimo vs. imperfetto (parte 1ª)

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