Italian grammar
Stavo, stavamo + gerundio
Say what someone was doing at a point in the past.
From the scene Cosa stavi facendo? (What were you doing?)
In short
For an action in progress in the past, use stavo, stavi, stava + gerund: stavo dormendo.
- what were you doing? cosa stavi facendo?
- we were watching stavamo guardando
- he was reading stava leggendo
- I was sleeping stavo dormendo
Your turn
Which one goes with we were watching?
Options: stavamo guardando · cosa stavi facendo? · stava leggendo
Show answer
we were watching → stavamo guardando
How it works
For something in progress at a moment in the past, use stare in the imperfect (stavo, stavi, stavamo) plus a gerund.
Good to know
-ando for -are verbs, -endo for -ere/-ire verbs (leggere → leggendo, dormire → dormendo).
what were you doing? cosa stavi facendo?
Elena
Nuria, sto indagando. Cosa stavi facendo ieri notte?
Nuria, I'm investigating. What were you doing last night?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Nuria, sto indagando. (blank) ieri notte?
Options: Cosa stavi facendo · Stavamo guardando · Stava leggendo
Show answer
Elena
Nuria, sto indagando. Cosa stavi facendo ieri notte?
Nuria, I'm investigating. What were you doing last night?
we were watching stavamo guardando
Nuria
Con Javi. Stavamo guardando la tele.
With Javi. We were watching TV.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Con Javi. (blank) la tele.
Options: Stava leggendo · Stavamo guardando · Cosa stavi facendo
Show answer
Nuria
Con Javi. Stavamo guardando la tele.
With Javi. We were watching TV.
he was reading stava leggendo
Nuria
Uno di cucina. Javi stava leggendo i suoi messaggi.
A cooking one. Javi was reading his messages.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Uno di cucina. Javi (blank) i suoi messaggi.
Options: stavamo guardando · stava leggendo · cosa stavi facendo
Show answer
Nuria
Uno di cucina. Javi stava leggendo i suoi messaggi.
A cooking one. Javi was reading his messages.
I was sleeping stavo dormendo
Nuria
A mezzanotte Javi non c'era più. Io stavo dormendo sul divano!
At midnight Javi had already gone. I was sleeping on the sofa!
Your turn
What fills the gap?
A mezzanotte Javi non c'era più. Io (blank) sul divano!
Options: cosa stavi facendo · stavamo guardando · stavo dormendo
Show answer
Nuria
A mezzanotte Javi non c'era più. Io stavo dormendo sul divano!
At midnight Javi had already gone. I was sleeping on the sofa!
Watch out
Use the imperfect of stare, not the present — stavo, not sto, since it happened in the past.
Common mistake
Not stai or stavo here. You (Nuria), last night.
Nuria, sto indagando. Cosa stavi facendo ieri notte?
Nuria, I'm investigating. What were you doing last night?
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
| what were you doing? | cosa stavi facendo? |
|---|---|
| we were watching | stavamo guardando |
| he was reading | stava leggendo |
| I was sleeping | stavo dormendo |
More lines from the story
- ElenaDormendo? Che comodo.Sleeping? How convenient.