The imperfect tense is one of several past tenses in Italian. It can be tricky to use correctly because it doesn't always match up with one specific tense in English. Depending on the context, it is translated differently. Michela uses a timeline to help you understand.

Marika tells us more about the use of elisions in Italian.

The southern Italian region of Basilicata, also known as Lucania, is shown to us by a woman who was born there, and her young son. The Sanctuary of the Madonna in Anglona is where they start off.

Michela shows us how and when imperfect verbs are used to describe actions, people, weather, and time.

In some cases using an elision is not grammatically correct. Marika explains some of these cases.

Our guides bring us to the very old and picturesque Rabatana quarter of Tursi, and to Craco, where the ghost of Isabella Morra, a 16th century poet, is said to roam about the ruins.

Michela shows us how to conjugate verbs in the imperfetto (imperfect past tense). She covers -are verbs and -ere verbs. It's easy once you get the idea.

Marika's first of three lessons on truncation, where she compares elision to truncation. There are many useful examples, such as: mar, san, buon, ben, and signor.

The tour of Basilicata closes with verses of Isabella Morra and British travel writer, Norman Douglas. Set against the backdrop of the beautiful Ionian coastline, the young traveler gives some tips on mastering the Lucan dialect.

In the last part of this miniseries, Michela works on verbs ending in ire with her class. She also spends time on the all-important irregular verb essere (to be).

Marika outlines exceptions to the rules governing truncation, and provides many useful examples.

The final segment on truncation covers imperative mood verbs that take apostrophes, as well as expressions concerning maladies.

The first of a six-part series on the Trentino-Alto Adige area of Italy, also known as South Tyrol, reveals majestic alpine landscapes and masterpieces of medieval art.

The first of Daniela's four segments on the future tense. She explains when it's used and how the present tense is sometimes used in its place.

For more on using the future tense for probability, see this lesson.

Marika's opening segment on accents and accentuation in Italian.