intermediate Italian

Più, di più, in più, non…più: The Difference and How to Use Them

What does più mean in italian?

Più it’s a common italian words meaning “more”

What drives my students crazy is when it’s appropriate to use “più” and when “di più” or “in più”. They all mean “more”, but they’re used in different sentences.

Lucky there’s an easy rules to follow, let’s delve into this:

Più

There is a grammatical error in the text. Here’s a corrected version:

Più means more in several contexts, such as in comparative statements.

Questa casa è più caro di quella – This house is more expensive than that one
Carla guadagna più di suo marito – Carla make more money than his husband

Di più

Di più is an adverbial phrase used after verbs and means “more.” For example:

Voglio allenarmi di più quest’anno – I want to train more this year
Voglio studiare di più – I want to study more

The opposite phrase is “di meno,” which means “less.” For example:

Voglio bere di meno quest’anno. (I want to drink less this year.)

In più

In più is a noun phrase that means “more” or “in addition,” and it is used to indicate that something is added to an existing quantity. The phrase can be used to refer to both tangible and intangible things.

For example:

Vorrei una bottiglia d’acqua in più – I would like one more bottle of water

Non…più

Non più means “not…anymore” and is used in negative sentences. The pattern to follow is “non + verb + più.”

For example:

Non viaggio più – I don’t travel anymore
Non dormo più – I don’t sleep anymore

“Piu” is also spelled with an accent on the last vowel (più), which means that you have to stress the pronunciation of the “u”. It sounds like this: “pyuh”.

What does “Stare per” Mean in Italian? A Guide

What does “Sto per” Mean in Italian? A Guide

The phrase “stare per + infinitive” is used in Italian to indicate that an action is about to happen or is imminent.

The verb “stare” means “to stand” or “to be,” and when it is combined with the preposition “per,” and followed by an “infinitive verb”, indicates that something is about to happen.

For example,

Sto per uscire translates to “I am about to leave”.
Sta per piovere translates to “it about to leave”.
Il film sta per cominciare translates to “the movie is about to start”.

Of course, to convey the correct meaning, you must conjugate the verb “stare” according to the subject performing the action. It’s important to note that the infinitive form of the verb never changes in this type of sentence.”

For example,

Noi stiamo per partire – we’re about to leave
Marco e Maria stanno per arrivare – Marco e Maria are about to arrive (they’re on their way).

Saying “I was about to” in Italian

To say “I was about to do something” in Italian, you can use the phrase “Stavo per [infinitive verb]”.

When used in the past, the verb “stare” is conjugated in the imperfect tense and is often used to describe a situation that occurred just before an action described in the passato prossimo.”

Stavo per uscire di casa, ma ha iniziato a piovere – I was about to leave the house, but it started to rain
Stavamo per comprare casa, ma alla fine abbiamo cambiato idea – We were about to buy a house, but in the end we changed our minds

In conclusion, “stare per + infinitive” is a useful phrase in Italian that can be used to indicate that something is about to happen, a change is imminent, or to give a warning.

It is similar to the English phrase “about to”, “on the point of” or “on the verge of.”

Stare + gerund

Another common use of the verb stare is in conjunction with the gerund form.

The pattern “stare + gerundio” is a common construction in Italian that is used to express the idea of an action that is in progress or happening at the moment you speak.

For example,

Sto leggendo – I’m reading [right now]

Imperfetto and Passato Prossimo: the Difference

Understanding the Difference Between Imperfetto and Passato Prossimo

Both the imperfetto and passato prossimo are used to describe past events. However, they are used in different situations. The passato prossimo is used when the action is completed, happened once, and has a definite starting and ending point. The imperfetto, on the other hand, is used to describe an ongoing or repeated action in the past that lasted for an indefinite period of time without a definite start or end. It emphasizes the continuity or repetition of the action.”

When to Use the Passato Prossimo

The passato prossimo is used to describe past actions with a time reference. The action you are describing is not a repeated action, it happened at a specific time, and you know when it started and ended.

For example,

Due anni fa ho partecipato ad una competizione sciistica – two years ago I participated in a ski competition
Ieri sera ho guardato un bel film – I watched a good movie last night
La scorsa estate sono andato in Italia – last summer I went to Italy
Lo scorso weekend sono stato allo stadio – last weekend I was at the stadium

Common time expressions using the passato prossimo

Ieri, ieri sera, l’altro ieri
Due anni fa, 10 anni fa
L’anno scorso, il mese scorso, la settimana scorsa

When to Use the Imperfetto

The are three main uses of the imperfect tense in Italian

# 1 The Italian imperfetto tense is used to describe actions or states in the past that were continuous or repeated without a specific end point. This can include events from different periods in a person’s life, such as childhood experiences, daily routines, or long-term habits. For example, you might use the imperfect to talk about your experiences growing up, your daily activities during a specific time period, your last job, your hobbies and interests in the past.

Quando andavo l’università, passavo molto tempo in biblioteca – When I was in school, I spent [I used to spend, I was spending] a lot of time in the library
Quando avevo vent’anni, vivevo in appartamenti condivisi – In my 20s, I lived [I used to live, I was living] in shared flats.
Quando ho cominciato a lavorare, non guadagnavo molto – When I started working, I didn’t earn much [I was not earning much]

#2 The Imperfetto is also used to contrast past and present states or actions. In these cases, it is often introduced by the adverb “prima” which means “before.”

Prima le persone guardavano i film in TV, adesso guardano i film su Netflix – Before, people used to watch movies on TV, now they watch movies on Netflix
Prima i bambini giocavano fuori in strada, adesso giocano con i videogiochi – Before the children played outside in the street, now they play video game

You might also use the imperfetto to describe how things were in the past and then use the passato prossimo to describe a specific event that happened and changed things, creating a contrast between past and present.

Prima, giocavo a calcio ogni pomeriggio. Poi, ho rotto la gamba e ho dovuto smettere – Before, I used to play soccer every afternoon. Then, I broke my leg and had to stop.

#3 The imperfect tense is also used to describe people, objects, situations, or places in the past.

Maria era una bambina allegro e vivace. Viveva in una casa piccola con i suoi genitori, che erano entrambi medici all’ospedale centrale di Roma. Aveva un piccolo criceto come animale, perché la sua casa era molto piccola – Maria was a cheerful and lively little girl. She lived [she used to live, she was living] in a small house with her parents, who were both doctors at the central hospital in Rome. She had [used to have] a small hamster as a pet, because her house was very small.

Common time expressions used with imperfetto:

Some time expressions indicate that an action was regularly repeated in the past, and therefore we tend to use them with the imperfetto.

Ogni mattina / ogni settimana / ogni mese
Regolarmente / solitamente / di solito
Quando avevo “x” anni
Sempre
Tutti i giorni / tutti i mesi / tutti gli anni

How to Translate the Imperfetto in English

In English grammar, it can be translated as the past continuous tense, used to describe a past action that was ongoing or repeated at a specific time in the past. For example, “I was studying” or “I used to live” or “I would go (when used I the past”

So, for example, “vivevo” can be translated into English, like:

I used to live…
I would live…(in the past)
I was living

When the Passato Prossimo and the Imperfetto Are Used in the Same Sentence

It’s common in Italian to encounter the use the passato prossimo and the imperfetto in the same sentence. This is normal in Italian because, both

Imperfetto + passato prossimo

When used in the same sentence, the passato prossimo is used to describe the main event, while the imperfetto is used to describe the background or setting of the main event. In other words, the imperfect tense describes the “ongoing action,” while the passato prossimo describes the main event.Usually these types of sentences are introduced by “mentre = while,” followed by the imperfect tense.

For example,

Mentre lavoravo al computer, ho ricevuto una chiamata dal mio capo – While working on the computer, I received a call from my boss.

In the above sentence “mentre lavoravo” is the background or setting of the main event which is “il mio capo ha chiamato”.

Stavo andando al mercato a piedi, quando ha cominciato a piovere e sono dovuto ritornare a casa – I was walking to the market when it started to rain and I had to go home.

In the above sentence “stavo andando al mercato” is setting, while “ha cominciato a piovere” and “sono dovuto ritornare a casa” are the main events.

How to practice the difference between the passato prossimo and imperfetto

Getting a good understanding of how the Imperfetto works in Italian can be a challenge. While learning the theory is one thing, using it correctly in actual Italian conversation is another. In my experience, one of the best ways to grasp the use of the imperfetto and passato prossimo in Italian is by reading stories. These naturally switch between the two tenses, making it easier to understand their use. You can find short stories easily on Amazon or online (I made a list of the some good short stories in Italian here) . If you’re a grammar buff (just like me), you can also consider using this textbook for reference:

The Italian Imperfect Tense

First things first..

What’s The Imperfect Tense?

The imperfect (or imperfetto, in Italian) is a past tense. We mainly use the imperfect tense to talk about past actions that happened as a habit, to describe the context of past actions or events, and in a few other cases.

Smart tip

As the name says, the action described by this tense is “imperfect,” so we can say that, as a rule of thumb, we use it when we can’t apply a time reference to the past action we want to talk about. You should picture the imperfect tense as the frame of a picture or the background to the main event. The frame is the context (descriptions, feelings, ongoing actions). The picture is of you or a specific event.

Example,

Quando siamo arrivati (event), pioveva (background, frame) [When we arrived, it was raining]
Quando andavano all’università (background, context), ho vinto (even) una borsa di studio. [When I was in school, I got a scholarship]

Most non-romance languages don’t have an “imperfetto,” so using the imperfetto correctly in Italian can be confusing. Reading and listening to Italian will help you naturally develop a good understanding of how and when to use the imperfect. Learning the rules, as always, is just the first step.

Italian vs.English

In English, the imperfect tense in usually translate with:

I used to:

I used to live in that area – Vivevo in quel quartiere

I was -ing:

I was feeling sick yesterday, so I didn’t go to work – Mi sentivo male ieri, così non too andata a lavoro.

Sometimes, though, the imperfetto can be translated with the regular English past tense ending in – ed.

How to Conjugate the Imperfect Tense in Italian

I have some great news for you. The imperfect is the most regular Italian verb.

It just adds the imperfect endings –avo, -avi, -ava, -avamo, -avate, -avano to the stem of the verb. The conjugation is the same for all the verbs, no matter what group they belong to.

Irregular Verbs

There are just four irregular imperfect verbs in Italian, which are super easy to remember.

Fare → facevo, facevi, faceva, facevamo, facevate, facevano
Bere → bevevo, bevevi, beveva, bevevamo, bevevate, bevevano
Dire → dicevo, dicevi, diceva, dicevamo, dicevate, dicevano
Essere → ero, eri, era, eravamo, eravate, erano

When Do You Use the Imperfect tense in Italian?

Since there is not a straightforward translation in English when it comes to the Italian imperfetto, using this verb in Italian is one of the most complex aspects of the language. However, there are some rules you can look at when deciding whether to use the imperfetto or not.

We use the imperfetto to describe your life as it used to be.

Common word prompts: prima, una volta, nel passato, negli anni “X”, quando + imperfect tense

Negli anni 90, vivevo a Londra e facevo il barista nei weekend – In the 90s I was living in London and I would work as bartender over the weekends.

We use the imperfetto to make a comparison between “before and nowadays”.

Common word prompts: prima…adesso.

Prima i bambini giocavano in strada, adesso giocano al cellulare – Before children used to play in the streets, today the play on their phones.

We use the imperfetto to talk about the weather in the past.

Ieri faceva caldo – Yesterday it was hot.
Ieri nevica – It snowed yesterday.
Ieri c’era una bella giornata di sole – Yesterday, it was a sunny day.

We use the imperfetto to give a description of a situation, a place or a thing in the past.

La mia città era diversa quando ero piccola: c’erano meno macchine e il traffico era più lieve – My city was very different was I was little: there were less cars and traffic.
Il mio primo appartamento era molto luminoso e si trovava nel centro città – My first apertamente was very bright and was in the city center.

We use the imperfetto to talk about your childhood.

Common word prompts: da piccolo/a, quando avevo + your age / Quando ero piccolo/a

Quando ero piccola, mi piaceva preparare le torte con mia madre – When I was little I liked to bake with my mum.
Quando ero piccolo, passavo le estati a casa dei miei nonni – When I was a child, I used to spend my summers at my grandparent’s house.

We use the imperfetto to describe the context or background of a specific event.

Common prompt words: mentre

Mentre passeggiavo al mare, ho ricevuto una chiamata importante – While I was walking on the beach, I got an important phonecall

We use the imperfetto to describe how people state of mind or health in the past.

Ieri sera avevo mal di testa – Last night I had a headache.
Ieri mattina stavo male – Yesterday morning I felt sick.
Al liceo, ero innamorata di Marcello – In high school, I was in love with Marcello.

We use the imperfetto to describe the personality traits or other characteristics of people in the past.

Mio nonno era molto saggio – My grandfather was very wise
La mia insegnate d’inglese era molto preparata – My English teacher in middle school was knowledgeable

We use the imperfetto to say what people knew or meant in the past.

Non sapevo cosa pensare – I didn’t know what to think.
Non volevo dire quello – I didn’t want to say that
Non sapevo che Marco e Maria stavano insieme – I didn’t know Marco and Maria were together

We use the imperfetto to translate the English pattern “I used to do…”

Vivevo a Roma quando studiavo all’università – I used to live in Rome when I was in school.
Viaggiavo molto prima di avere bambini – I used to travel a lot before having children.

More Uses of the Imperfect Tense in Italian

We use the imperfetto to express a polite request in place of the present conditional (vorrei)

Volevo/Vorrei chiederti una cosa – I wanted to ask you something.
Volevo/Vorrei chiederti un favore – I wanted to ask you for a favore
Volevo/Vorrei farti una domanda – I wanted to ask you a question

We use the imperfetto if two actions happen at the exact same moment in the past, we use the imperfect.

Mentre scrivevo il mio diario, mio figlio disegnava nella sua camera – While I was writing in my journal, my child was drawing in his room.

We use the imperfetto if one action interrupts an ongoing action, we use the imperfect tense for the ongoing action and the passato prossimo for the interruption.

Mentre dormivo [ongoing action], mi hanno chiamato al telefono [interruption] e mi sono svegliata – While I was sleeping, someone called and I woke up.

Passato Prossimo vs. Imperfetto: The Difference

When to use the imperfect tense instead of the passato prossimo?

Passato prossimo

The Italian passato prossimo indicates an event that occurred at some point in the past, at a specific moment. To put it another way, we know when the event started, and when it ended. The passato prossimo often appears in combination with time expressions.

Common time expressions that trigger the use of the passato prossimo:

Due giorni fa, un anno fa – two days ago, one year ago
Ieri – yesterday
L’anno scorso – last year
Questa mattina – this morning
Ieri sera – last night
L’estate scorsa, giovedì scorso and similar phrases
Ultimamente – lately
L’altro ieri – the other day

If one of the above time expressions is used, we always use the passato prossimo. We would also use the passato prossimo if we didn’t say one of the above expressions, but they were still implied in the conversation.

For example,

Ho mangiato troppo ieri sera
Due anni fa sono andato in Sud Africa
Ho comprato una macchina la scorsa settimana

The imperfetto (the imperfect tense)

The imperfect indicates an event that repeatedly occurred in the past, and we don’t know when it started or when it ended. It was an ongoing action for some time. The imperfect often appears in combination with time expressions indicating a routine or a habitual activity.

Common time expressions used with the imperfect tense

Normalmente – typically
Di solito – usually
Mentre – while
Ogni volta che – every time that
Da piccola/da piccolo – when I was little
Tutto il tempo – all the time

For example,

Di solito andavo in quel caffè a studiare – Typically, I would go to that caffè for studying
Ogni volta che andavo a Roma, andavo a trovare i miei amici – Every time I would go to Rome, I would visit my friends

Notice that if you say, “Ho comprato una macchina” and you don’t mention the time expression, I would still understand that the action happened at the specific moment in the past. Using the imperfetto and saying “compravo una macchina” would also sound weird, as the act of buying a car is never ongoing. Saying “compravo una macchina” would sound in English like “I used to buy a car.”

The imperfect continuous in Italian [advanced topic]

This is a more advanced grammar topic. If you’re a beginner or intermediate student, you can skip it for now. The Italian imperfect continuous is a combination of the imperfect of “stare” and the gerund from. It is used to describe what was going on at a specific time in the past.

Cosa stavi facendo ieri alle 3? – What were you doing yesterday at 3?
Mi stavo rilassando sul divano con I miei amici, quando i miei amici sono arrivati – I was relaxing on the couch yesterday when my friends arrived.

Italian proverb #1: Tutte le strade portano a Roma

‘Tutte le strade portano a Roma” is a famous Italian. Ir refers to the fact that many different roads were connecting the city with the rest of the Empire. All these roads would have led the travelers to Rome from the many various settlements of the Empire.

Nowadays, this proverb conveys the message that there are different ways to get to the same goal. Do you agree? The saying exists in English and can be translated as all roads lead to Rome. What about in your language?

If the same or a similar expression exists in your native language, please write it down in the comments.