The Imperfect Tense of "Avere"
Just as you use the imperfetto of essere to describe what things were like, you use the imperfetto of avere (to have) to talk about what you used to own (like childhood pets or beloved toys) and to describe ongoing physical or emotional states in the past.
Here is how to conjugate avere in the imperfetto:
| Pronoun | Avere (Imperfect) |
|---|---|
| io | avevo |
| tu | avevi |
| lui/lei/Lei | aveva |
| noi | avevamo |
| voi | avevate |
| loro | avevano |
| As a child, I had that red bicycle. | Da bambino, avevo quella bicicletta rossa. |
| That girl had a very old doll. | Quella ragazza aveva una bambola molto vecchia. |
| Last year we had a quiet hamster. | L'anno scorso avevamo un criceto tranquillo. |
Feelings and States of Mind
Remember that Italian frequently uses avere for feelings or traits where English uses "to be" (for example, avere paura means "to be afraid"). You will use the imperfect of avere to describe ongoing past states, such as having courage, patience, or a doubt.
| My little brother had a teddy bear and was not afraid of anything. | Il mio fratellino aveva un orsacchiotto e non aveva paura di niente. |
| I didn't have the courage to tell the truth. | Non avevo il coraggio di dire la verità. |
| You didn't have the patience for that project. | Non avevi la pazienza per quel progetto. |
Asking Questions About the Past
To ask someone what they used to have or how they used to feel, simply use the corresponding imperfect form of avere. Notice how the formal "you" (Lei) uses the same form as lui/lei (aveva).
| Madam, did you have a doubt about that document? | Signora, Lei aveva un dubbio su quel documento? |
| Did you guys have a turtle in that garden? We go there often. | Avevate una tartaruga in quel giardino? Ci andiamo spesso. |
