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Sapevo già la verità.

Sapevo già la verità.
I already knew the truth.
From Lesson 140:Found out or knew? (ho saputo, sapevo)·Italian

Breakdown of Sapevo già la verità.

sapere
to know
la verità
the truth
già
already

Questions & Answers about Sapevo già la verità.

Why is "Sapevo" used here instead of the passato prossimo "Ho saputo"?
Sapevo is the imperfect tense of sapere (to know). We use the imperfect here because knowing the truth was an ongoing state in the past, not a single completed event. If you used the passato prossimo and said ho saputo, it would change the meaning to "I found out" or "I learned" the truth at a specific moment.
Why use "sapere" instead of "conoscere" for "to know"?
In Italian, sapere is used for knowing facts, information, or how to do something. Conoscere is used for being familiar or acquainted with a person, place, or complex topic. Since "the truth" is a piece of information, sapere is the right choice.
Does the adverb "già" (already) always go right after the verb?
Generally, yes. In simple, one-word tenses like the imperfect used here, common adverbs like già, sempre (always), and mai (never) go directly after the verb. In two-word compound tenses like the passato prossimo, they tuck right between the helping verb and the past participle.
Why does "verità" have an accent mark on the final letter?
The accent mark tells you to put your spoken stress on that very last syllable. It also tells you that the word is invariable, meaning its ending won't change in the plural. "The truth" is la verità, and "the truths" is simply le verità.

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