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:
– when indicating an action that always occurred/existed in the past and continues in the present, passato prossimo is used:
Additionally, passato prossimo is used:
Conversely, imperfetto* is used:
*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:
In storytelling, both passato prossimo and imperfetto are used, but in different cases: Passato prossimo is used:
Imperfetto is used:
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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:
Passato Prossimo esempi:
Imperfetto esempi:
NOTA BENE If the time period is indefinite but the action occurred a specific number of times, the passato prossimo is used:
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