era arrivato

had arrived

→ essere

phrase Rare #35,994

had arrived Past perfect (trapassato prossimo). It is used to say someone had reached a place or a point in time before something else happened. The ending changes for gender and number in context (e.g., era arrivata, erano arrivati).

IT: Ha detto che era arrivato lì quella mattina.

EN: He said that he had arrived there that morning.

Mi hanno detto che era arrivato un vero maestro.

They told me that a true master had arrived.

— La tigre e il dragone (2000)

Disse che era arrivato là quella mattina.

He said he had arrived there that morning.

Ha detto che era arrivato lì quella mattina.

He said he had arrived there that morning.

Uh, fortunatamente, non era arrivato il mio turno.

Uh, luckily, it wasn't my turn.

— Norimberga (2025)

Ha detto che era arrivato là quella mattina.

He said he had arrived there that morning.

Capii che vi era arrivato seguendo le tracce di Felix.

I understood that he had arrived there by following Felix's trail.

— Contrattempo (2017)