B1 · Section 1 of 10

Telling stories: ero, facevo…

Set a scene in the past with the describing past.

Italian keeps two pasts: ho mangiato for events, and ero / facevo / c'era for backgrounds, habits, and feelings.

• ero a Roma

  (eh-roh ah roh-mah)

  = I was in Rome

• faceva freddo

  (fah-cheh-vah frehd-doh)

  = it was cold

• c'era un bar qui

  (cheh-rah oon bahr kwee)

  = there used to be a bar here

• da bambino giocavo

  (dah bahm-bee-noh joh-kah-voh)

  = as a child I used to play