Quando ero piccolo, andavo spesso in vacanza con la mia famiglia.

When I was little, I often went on vacation with my family.

Breakdown of Quando ero piccolo, andavo spesso in vacanza con la mia famiglia.

• io: I
• essere: to be
• con: with
• andare: to go
• quando: when
• piccolo: small
• la famiglia: the family
• la mia: my
• in: on
• spesso: often
• la vacanza: the vacation

Questions & Answers about Quando ero piccolo, andavo spesso in vacanza con la mia famiglia.

Why is the imperfect tense used for ero and andavo in this sentence?

Italian uses the imperfect tense (for example, ero and andavo) to describe actions or states that were repeated or continuous in the past. Saying ero piccolo conveys the ongoing state of being young, while andavo spesso in vacanza emphasizes a recurring event rather than a one-time action.

Why do we say in vacanza rather than a vacanza?

In Italian, the preposition in often indicates being inside or within something, or being in a state of something (like being "on vacation"). It’s an idiomatic way of expressing that you are in a holiday period or traveling place. Using a would suggest going to a location rather than being on vacation.

Why do we group spesso (often) in the middle of the sentence, after andavo?

Italian adverbs like spesso can be placed in various positions, but it’s very common to place them either after the verb or between the auxiliary and main verb (when there is one). In this case, andavo spesso sounds natural because the adverb follows the main verb, emphasizing the frequency of going on vacation.

What is the significance of using la mia famiglia instead of just mia famiglia?

In everyday Italian, people often include the article (la, il, etc.) before possessive adjectives, especially when referring to family members in the plural form. It’s grammatically correct to say la mia famiglia, though you may sometimes see variations without the article when referring to singular close family members (like mia madre, mio padre) in more traditional usage.

Does piccolo change form if the speaker is female?

Yes. The adjective piccolo must agree in gender and number with the speaker. If a female speaker is referring to herself as a child, she would say Quando ero piccola. For a male speaker, Quando ero piccolo is correct.