Italian grammar
Stavo per + infinito
Say what you were going to do, and that you changed your mind.
From the scene Stavo per chiamare, ma… (I was going to call, but…)
In short
For what you were about to do, use stavo per + infinitive: stavo per chiamare.
- I was going to call stavo per chiamare
- I was going to look for stavo per cercare
- but in the end, no ma alla fine, no
- I changed my mind ho cambiato idea
Your turn
Which one goes with I was going to look for?
Options: ma alla fine, no · stavo per cercare · stavo per chiamare
Show answer
I was going to look for → stavo per cercare
How it works
To say what you were about to do (and then didn't), use stare in the imperfetto + per + infinitive: stavo per chiamare (I was going to call).
Good to know
Alla fine, no or ho cambiato idea says what really happened.
I was going to call stavo per chiamare
Ramón
Stavo per chiamare. Ma alla fine, no.
I was going to call. But in the end, no.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank). Ma alla fine, no.
Options: Stavo per cercare · Ho cambiato idea · Stavo per chiamare
Show answer
Ramón
Stavo per chiamare. Ma alla fine, no.
I was going to call. But in the end, no.
I was going to look for stavo per cercare
Ramón
Stavo per cercare il telefono... ma mi sono addormentato.
I was going to look for the phone... but I fell asleep.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) il telefono... ma mi sono addormentato.
Options: Stavo per chiamare · Ma alla fine · Stavo per cercare
Show answer
Ramón
Stavo per cercare il telefono... ma mi sono addormentato.
I was going to look for the phone... but I fell asleep.
but in the end, no ma alla fine, no
Ramón
Certo che no. Per questo c'è la signora Elena!
Of course not. That's what Signora Elena is for!
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Certo che (blank). Per questo c'è la signora Elena!
Options: no · stavo per chiamare · stavo per cercare
Show answer
Ramón
Certo che no. Per questo c'è la signora Elena!
Of course not. That's what Signora Elena is for!
I changed my mind ho cambiato idea
Nuria
Anch'io stavo per chiamare, ma ho cambiato idea.
I was going to call too, but I changed my mind.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Anch'io stavo per chiamare, ma (blank).
Options: ma alla fine · ho cambiato idea · stavo per cercare
Show answer
Nuria
Anch'io stavo per chiamare, ma ho cambiato idea.
I was going to call too, but I changed my mind.
Watch out
Don't drop per — stavo chiamando means "I was calling" (already doing it), stavo per chiamare means you hadn't started yet.
Common mistake
Not Sto per or Sono andato a here. A plan in the past that didn't happen.
Stavo per chiamare. Ma alla fine, no.
I was going to call. But in the end, no.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| I was going to call | stavo per chiamare |
|---|---|
| I was going to look for | stavo per cercare |
| but in the end, no | ma alla fine, no |
| I changed my mind | ho cambiato idea |
More lines from the story
- RamónStavo per chiamare stamattina, ma c'era il calcio alla tele.I was going to call this morning, but there was football on TV.
- NuriaPerché no?Why not?