To describe an ongoing action that you witnessed—like "I saw the waiter cleaning"—Italian uses a specific structure with che instead of an "-ing" verb.
Describing Perceived Actions
Use a verb of perception (like vedere, to see, or guardare, to watch) followed by this formula:
[Perception verb] + [Object] + che + [Imperfect verb]
Because you are describing an action actively in progress exactly when you perceived it, the verb following che must be in the imperfect tense.
| I saw the waiter cleaning the counter. | Ho visto il cameriere che puliva il bancone. |
| I was watching the girl eating a croissant. | Guardavo la ragazza che mangiava un cornetto. |
This structure works with any verb of perception, such as observing (osservare), noticing (notare), or hearing (sentire).
| I was observing the man sipping his tea. | Osservavo l'uomo che sorseggiava il suo tè. |
| I noticed the child spilling the milk. | Ho notato il bambino che rovesciava il latte. |
| I heard the cup hitting the saucer. | Ho sentito la tazza che sbatteva sul piattino. |
Adding Detail
If you want to describe the person or thing you are observing, place the adjective immediately after the noun, right before che.
| I was watching the impatient lady gesticulating. | Guardavo la signora impaziente che gesticolava. |
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