Italian Hi.. & Question Hi.. & Question

Home | Classroom | Archive 1 | Archive 2 | Words | Phrases | Countries | Languages

Phrasebase Archive

croll Saturday 27th of August 2005 03:39:41 PM
hi.. & question - Hi carla,

I'm a new member.
And I have a question.

What's the difference of usage between "Io avevo" and "Io ebbi"? - since they have same meaning "I had"

thanks

leobloom Saturday 24th of September 2005 06:28:32 PM
- ICiao!
Io avevo is Imperfetto tense while Io ebbi is passato remoto tense. Imperfetto (if u use the imperfetto of the verb "stare2 plus gerund form you got the same meaning you have in English with the form present tense of to be plus ing-form) is often used as a narrative tense in stories, articles etc. and is used as a background tense while the passato remoto is used to represent actions happening in a precise moment.
ex: mangiavo/stavo mangiando una mela uqando qualcuno bussò alla porta.
I ate/was eating an apple when somebody knocked on the door.

Phrasebase Archive
	croll	Saturday 27th of August 2005 03:39:41 PM
	hi.. & question - Hi carla, I'm a new member. And I have a question. What's the difference of usage between "Io avevo" and "Io ebbi"? - since they have same meaning "I had" thanks
	leobloom	Saturday 24th of September 2005 06:28:32 PM
	- ICiao! Io avevo is Imperfetto tense while Io ebbi is passato remoto tense. Imperfetto (if u use the imperfetto of the verb "stare2 plus gerund form you got the same meaning you have in English with the form present tense of to be plus ing-form) is often used as a narrative tense in stories, articles etc. and is used as a background tense while the passato remoto is used to represent actions happening in a precise moment. ex: mangiavo/stavo mangiando una mela uqando qualcuno bussò alla porta. I ate/was eating an apple when somebody knocked on the door.