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imperfetto

imperfect; flawed

adjective noun eem-per-FET-toh Rare

Origin: Latin imperfectus, 'incomplete'

Usage Note

Imperfetto is both an everyday adjective ('imperfect, flawed') and a grammatical term — l'imperfetto is one of the most important Italian past tenses, used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past. A learner must master the distinction between l'imperfetto and il passato prossimo. As an adjective, imperfetto is not as strong as difettoso ('faulty').

Examples

"Nessun piano è perfetto, ognuno è imperfetto."

Natural Translation

No solution is imperfect forever.

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