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tu stavi

were, stayed, were about to

ˈs t a . v i → stare
stav stay; be + i tu imperfect
auxiliary · 2nd-person singular informal, imperfect tense Common #3,457
were Used with a gerund to form the past progressive.
IT: Stavi leggendo un libro.
EN: You were reading a book.
Conjugation of stare
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
First stavo stavamo
Second stavi stavate
Third stava stavano

Allora perché stavi fissando la mia stanza?

Then why were you staring at my room?

— Quando c'era Marnie (2014)

Scusa, tu stavi dipingendo?!

Sorry, were you painting?!

— Quasi amici - Intouchables (2011)

Sì, ma mi stavi aspettando quando sono arrivata.

Yes, but you were waiting for me when I arrived.

— Eternity (2025)

Stavi piangendo.

You were crying.

— Elephant (2003)

Stavi accordando la tua chitarra.

You were tuning your guitar.

Stavi scherzando?

Were you kidding?

— È arrivata mia figlia! (2015)

Perché stavi scappando?

Why were you running away?

— The Chaser (2008)

Non sapevo che ti stavi tagliando i capelli!

I didn’t know you were getting your hair cut!

Stavi sognando?

Were you dreaming?

— Il mio vicino Totoro (1988)

Stavi tremando!

You were shaking!

— मुन्ना भाई एम बी बी एस (2003)

Scusa, non volevo disturbarti mentre stavi lavorando.

Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you while you were working.

Non mi hai detto che stavi filmando.

You didn’t tell me you were filming.

Tu stavi lavorando l'anno scorso?

Were you working last year?

Stavi giocando a tennis ieri mattina?

Were you playing tennis yesterday morning?

Ci stavi manipolando.

You were manipulating us.

Da chi stavi scappando?

Who were you running from?

— Tumbbad (2018)

Stavi guidando?

Were you driving?

Ti abbiamo anche svegliato mentre stavi dormendo per la strada.

We even woke you up while you were sleeping on the street.

— The Garden of Sinners Chapter 5: Paradox Paradigm (2008)

Stavi origliando.

You were eavesdropping.

— Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Non stavi prestando attenzione prima?

Weren't you paying attention before?

— Everything Everywhere All at Once - La vita, il multiverso e tutto quanto (2022)

Tom ha detto che stavi dormendo.

Tom said you were sleeping.

Quello con cui stavi ballando.

The one you were dancing with.

— Quando c'era Marnie (2014)

Stavi preparando del cibo.

You were preparing some food.

Bastardo, sicuramente ti stavi divertendo.

Bastard, you were definitely having fun.

— Madre (2009)

Stavi affrettando, o stavi rallentando?

Were you rushing, or were you slowing down?

— Whiplash (2014)

Stavi seguendo Moon Ah-jung.

You were following Moon Ah-jung.

— Madre (2009)

Cosa stavi indossando?

What were you wearing?

Perché stavi urlando?

Why were you screaming?

Stavi cagando?

Were you taking a shit?

— Leviathan (2014)

Stavi suonando.

You were playing.

Per questo stavi piangendo?

Is that why you were crying?

— Il nastro bianco (2009)

Forse è impegnato con gli esami, ma non lo stavi ignorando?

Maybe he's busy with exams, but weren't you ignoring him?

— Mangiare bere uomo donna (1994)

Perché lo stavi seguendo?

Why were you following him?

— Dal cuore (1998)

Non ti stavi occupando di lui?

Weren't you taking care of him?

— Pixote, la legge del più debole (1980)

Mi stavi soffocando, Steve.

You were suffocating me, Steve.

— Mommy (2014)

La stavi manipolando.

You were manipulating her.

Tu stavi suonando.

You were playing.

Stavi gridando contro mia moglie?

Were you yelling at my wife?

Te ne sei andato quando stavi diventando interessante!

You left when you were getting interesting!

— Indiana Jones e l'ultima crociata (1989)

Stavi insegnando storia.

You were teaching history.

Non stavi combattendo al massimo delle tue forze contro Fujino Asagami.

You weren't fighting at your full strength against Fujino Asagami.

— The Garden of Sinners Chapter 5: Paradox Paradigm (2008)

Non stavi scappando?

Weren't you running away?

— Ratatouille (2007)

La mamma ha detto che stavi passando.

Mom said you were passing by.

— TÁR (2022)

Stavi scappando comunista?

Were you running away, communist?

— A Taxi Driver (2017)

Dove ti stavi nascondendo?

Where were you hiding?

Perché stavi indossando una giacca?

Why were you wearing a jacket?

Stavi sognando l'incidente?

Were you dreaming about the accident?

— Interstellar (2014)

Ti stavi portando via un capitale.

You were making off with a fortune.

— Storia di fantasmi cinesi (1987)

Hai mai sentito che stavi per morire?

Have you ever felt like you were about to die?

— मुन्ना भाई एम बी बी एस (2003)

Tu ti stavi divertendo, vero?

You were having fun, weren't you?

Stavi tossendo sangue.

You were coughing up blood.

Stavi correndo la sua gara.

You were running his race.

— F1 - Il film (2025)

Ricordi quando hai detto che non mi stavi tenendo in ostaggio?

Remember when you said you weren't holding me hostage?

— Together (2025)

Stavi fumando?

Were you smoking?

— Picnic (1955)

Stavi mangiando qualcosa.

You were eating something.

— Il mio amico Ivan Lapshin (1985)

Tom non sapeva che stavi scherzando.

Tom didn't know you were joking.

Non stavi partendo?

Weren’t you leaving?

Li stavi manipolando.

You were manipulating them.

Stavi per dire qualcosa?

Were you about to say something?

Potrebbe essere quello che stavi aspettando?

Could it be what you were waiting for?

— La La Land (2016)

Chi stavi provando ad uccidere lì?

Who were you trying to kill there?

— Assassination (2015)

Te l'ho detto che stavi esagerando ma tu non hai voluto darmi retta!

I told you that you were overdoing it, but you wouldn't listen to me!

— La sfida del samurai (1961)

Che cosa stavi per dirmi?

What were you about to tell me?

— Lo spirito dell'alveare (1973)

Stavi piangendo?

Were you crying?

— Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)

Stavi affrettando o rallentando?

Were you rushing or slowing down?

— Whiplash (2014)

Stavi scrivendo.

You were writing.

— Hollywood, Vermont (2000)

Perché stavi sorridendo?

Why were you smiling?

Stavi spiando la casa degli Yu.

You were spying on the Yu's house.

— La tigre e il dragone (2000)

Stavi volando?

Were you flying?

— Il mio amico Ivan Lapshin (1985)

Stavi dormendo?

Were you sleeping?

— Amores perros (2000)

Mi stavi manipolando.

You were manipulating me.

Stavi giocando.

You were playing.

Ci stavi solo pensando, vero?

You were just thinking about it, right?

— Decision to Leave (2022)

Si vede che stavi morendo di fame.

You can tell you were starving.

— Suzume (2022)

Da quanto stavi spiando?

How long have you been spying?

— Laurence Anyways e il desiderio di una donna... (2012)

Stavi infastidendo l'insegnante.

You were bothering the teacher.

Gli hai detto che stavi scherzando?

Did you tell him you were joking?

Stavi origliando?

Were you eavesdropping?

— Il Signore degli Anelli - La compagnia dell'anello (2001)

Ora capisco che stavi sognando.

Now I understand that you were dreaming.

— Si alza il vento (2013)

Dove diavolo stavi correndo, bastardo!

Where the hell were you running to, you bastard!

— Memorie di un assassino (2003)

Non stavi recitando una poesia?

Weren’t you reciting a poem?

— La vita è bella (1997)

Io non ho mai detto che stavi mentendo.

I never said you were lying.

Stavi per lasciarmi?

Were you about to leave me?

— Mystic River (2003)

È questo quello che stavi leggendo a quello sporco vecchio e a quei signori?

Is this what you were reading to that dirty old man and those gentlemen?

— Mademoiselle (2016)

Dove stavi correndo?

Where were you running to?

— Memorie di un assassino (2003)

Il libro che stavi leggendo ieri era in francese?

Was the book you were reading yesterday in French?

Stavi riprendendo fiato.

You were catching your breath.

— The Smashing Machine (2025)

Stavi seguendo?

Were you following?

— La vita di Adele: Capitoli 1 & 2 (2013)

Ti stavi divertendo, vero?

You were having fun, weren't you?

Stavi cantando molto bene.

You were singing very well.

Stavi tagliando il pane.

You were cutting the bread.

Tom è passato mentre stavi dormendo.

Tom passed by while you were sleeping.

Mi stavi spiando?

Were you spying on me?

— Roma (2018)

Ma se stavi morendo di fame?

But what if you were starving?

— Il ritorno (2003)

verb · 2nd-person singular, imperfect tense Uncommon #14,644
were, stayed Often used for being somewhere or being with someone; the exact English translation depends on context.
IT: Stavi a casa ieri sera?
EN: Were you at home last night?
were about to Used with per and an infinitive.
IT: Stavi per uscire quando ti ho chiamato.
EN: You were about to leave when I called you.
Conjugation of stare
Indicative imperfect
SingularPlural
First stavo stavamo
Second stavi —
Third stava stavano

Poi stavi quasi per affogare e tutti si sono spaventati.

Then you almost drowned and everyone got scared.

— Two Sisters (2003)

Da quanto stavi lì?

How long were you there?

— La fiamma del peccato (1944)

Ha detto che stavi per salire su un'auto da ragazzino?

Did he say you were about to get into a car when you were a kid?

— Mystic River (2003)

Stavi per dire uno dei tanti?

Were you about to say one of the many?

— Roma città aperta (1945)

Ho saputo che stavi con i partigiani.

I heard you were with the partisans.

— L'infanzia di Ivan (1962)

Mi ha detto che stavi bene.

He told me you were fine.

— La doppia vita di Veronica (1991)

Stavi con lei quando ci siamo conosciuti.

You were with her when we met.

— Durante la tormenta (2018)

Stavi per rapirmi.

You were about to kidnap me.

— L'uomo dei sogni (1989)

Davvero, Judah, stavi bene finché non sei tornato a casa dal lavoro.

Really, Judah, you were fine until you got home from work.

— Crimini e misfatti (1989)

Dove stavi?!

Where were you?!

— Tropa de elite - Gli squadroni della morte (2007)

Se stavi ad ascoltarla, ti insegnava un sacco di cose, e io l’avevo fatto.

If you listened to her, she taught you a lot of things, and I had.

Dovevi dirmi sempre dove stavi.

You always had to tell me where you were.

— Quasi famosi (2000)

Stavi benissimo.

You looked great.

— Aquarius (2016)

Stavi con Zachetti dall'inizio.

You were with Zachetti from the beginning.

— La fiamma del peccato (1944)

Ha mai cercato di mettersi in contatto con te per sapere come stavi?

Has he ever tried to get in touch with you to see how you were doing?

— Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)

E tu stavi qui?

And you were here?

— American Gangster (2007)

Te lo tenevi stretto, gli stavi attaccata al collo.

You were holding him tight, clinging to his neck.

— Il paziente inglese (1996)

Stavi con lui ed è morto?

Were you with him when he died?

— Una donna fantastica (2017)

E stavi da solo?

And were you alone?

— Un affare di famiglia (2018)

Stavi lì a sentire!

You just stood there listening!

— Il profeta (2009)

Avevano firmato quando stavi bene, ma ora non sei in grado di lavorare.

They signed when you were well, but now you are unable to work.

— Amores perros (2000)

Non stavi male?

Weren't you feeling sick?

— Perfetti sconosciuti (2016)

Sounds similar to

stavo ˈs t a . v o stati ˈs t a . t i scavi ˈs k a . v i