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lui stesse

was, were, was about to, same, very own

ˈs t e s . s e → stare
stess same + e feminine plural / lui-lei imperfect subjunctive
auxiliary · 3rd-person singular, imperfect tense Common #5,925
was, were Used with a gerund to form the past progressive.
IT: Pensavo che stesse dormendo.
EN: I thought he was sleeping.
Conjugation of stare
Subjunctive imperfect
SingularPlural
Third stesse stessero
stessi

Non sapevo che qualcuno mi stesse seguendo.

I didn't know someone was following me.

Tom non pensava stesse violando alcuna legge.

Tom didn't think he was breaking any laws.

Non avevo proprio idea che stesse prendendo in prestito denaro fuori dall’isola.

I had no idea he was borrowing money off-island.

Mi ero persuaso che un famoso soprano stesse facendo pratica di sopra.

I had convinced myself that a famous soprano was practicing upstairs.

— La vita straordinaria di David Copperfield (2019)

Mi è sembrato che qualcuno stesse parlando, qui.

It seemed to me that someone was talking here.

— Solaris (1972)

Tom sembrava che stesse cercando qualcosa.

Tom looked like he was looking for something.

Pensavo stesse lavorando.

I thought he was working.

Sembrava che stesse investigando.

It seemed like they were investigating.

— Young Detective Dee - Il risveglio del drago marino (2013)

Io spero che Tom stesse scherzando.

I hope Tom was joking.

Io penso che stesse parlando latino.

I think he was speaking Latin.

Pare che il Santo Padre ci stesse spiando tutti.

It seems the Holy Father was spying on us all.

— Conclave (2024)

Se Jackie stesse indagando su quel covo, quello dove siete stasera?

What if Jackie was investigating that hideout, the one where you are tonight?

— The Rip - Soldi sporchi (2026)

E se lui stesse dicendo la verità?

What if he were telling the truth?

Io pensavo che Tom mi stesse per picchiare.

I thought Tom was going to hit me.

Immagino che Tom stesse solo cercando di essere gentile.

I guess Tom was just trying to be nice.

Se stesse sognando, non sentirebbe dolore.

If he were dreaming, he wouldn't feel pain.

— Eternity (2025)

Mary pensava che Tom stesse sprecando il suo tempo a studiare latino.

Mary thought Tom was wasting his time studying Latin.

Sentii quasi che mi stesse dicendo di volare per sempre da solo.

I almost felt like he was telling me to fly alone forever.

— Porco Rosso (1992)

Io pensavo che Tom stesse esagerando.

I thought Tom was exaggerating.

Non potevamo credere a cosa stesse accadendo.

We couldn't believe what was happening.

— La La Land (2016)

Sembrava che Tom stesse cercando qualcuno.

It looked like Tom was looking for someone.

Pensavo che ci stesse provando con me.

I thought he was hitting on me.

— Nouvelle Vague (2025)

Non pensavo che Tom stesse davvero prestando attenzione.

I didn’t think Tom was really paying attention.

Pensavo che se ne stesse andando.

I thought he was leaving.

— Titanic (1997)

C'era solo qualche suono strano, come se qualcuno stesse piangendo.

There were just some strange sounds, as if someone were crying.

— Happy Together (1997)

Se non stesse piovendo andrei a pescare.

If it wasn't raining I would go fishing.

È come se il giorno stesse cercando di lottare.

It's like the day is trying to fight.

— Picnic (1955)

E se Tom non stesse dicendo la verità?

What if Tom wasn’t telling the truth?

Spero che Mary stesse solamente scherzando.

I hope Mary was just kidding.

Credo che Figueroa stesse seguendo la tua tesi.

I think Figueroa was following your thesis.

— Tesis (1996)

Pensavo stesse dormendo.

I thought he was sleeping.

Sembrava che stesse dormendo.

He looked like he was sleeping.

Pensavo che Tom mi stesse facendo uno scherzo.

I thought Tom was playing a prank on me.

Giuro che non sapevo che Tom stesse venendo.

I swear I didn't know Tom was coming.

Tom non sapeva che Mary stesse andando in Australia.

Tom didn't know that Mary was going to Australia.

E se stesse bluffando?

What if he's bluffing?

— Leviathan (2014)

Non sapevo che Tom stesse tenendo una festa.

I didn't know Tom was throwing a party.

Perché pensi che stesse piangendo?

Why do you think she was crying?

Penso che stesse dicendo la verità.

I think he was telling the truth.

Tom si chiese perché Mary lo stesse fissando.

Tom wondered why Mary was staring at him.

Sono venuta ieri notte, pensavo stesse dormendo.

I came here last night, I thought he was sleeping.

— Loveless (2017)

Mary pensava che Tom stesse sprecando il suo tempo a studiare il latino.

Mary thought Tom was wasting his time studying Latin.

Pensavo stesse uscendo con lei.

I thought he was dating her.

Spero che Tom stesse solamente scherzando.

I hope Tom was just kidding.

È quasi come se si stesse allenando per qualcosa.

It's almost like he's training for something.

— Norimberga (2025)

Non sapevo cosa stesse pensando.

I didn’t know what he was thinking.

Tom pensava che Mary stesse esagerando.

Tom thought Mary was exaggerating.

Non penso che Tom stesse scherzando a riguardo.

I don't think Tom was joking about it.

Mary sembrava che non si stesse divertendo.

Mary didn't seem to be having fun.

È come se l'autore mi stesse leggendo nella mente.

It's as if the author were reading my mind.

Pensavo stesse andando a Boston.

I thought he was going to Boston.

Io pensavo che Tom stesse scherzando.

I thought Tom was joking.

Io non penso che Tom stesse scherzando a riguardo.

I don't think Tom was joking about it.

Quello che so è che il suo capo temeva che qualcuno la stesse rubando.

What I know is that her boss was afraid someone was stealing it.

— Mercy - Sotto accusa (2026)

Credevo che stesse solo cercando di fregarmi!

I thought he was just trying to scam me!

— Control (2007)

Non sapevo che Tom stesse aspettando.

I didn't know Tom was waiting.

Non sapevo che lo stesse facendo.

I didn’t know he was doing it.

verb · 3rd-person singular, imperfect tense Uncommon #14,802
were, was Imperfect subjunctive form of stare; often translated as “were” or “was” depending on context.
IT: Vorrei che stesse qui.
EN: I’d like him to be here.
was about to Used with per + infinitive.
IT: Pensavo che stesse per partire.
EN: I thought she was about to leave.
Conjugation of stare
Subjunctive imperfect
SingularPlural
First stessi —
Second stessi —
Third stesse —

All'inizio, sembrava che stesse bene.

At first, he seemed to be doing well.

Andrebbe benissimo se stesse qui.

It would be fine if he stayed here.

— Vite vendute (1953)

Mi è sembrato stesse con un uomo.

I thought she was with a man.

— In the mood for love (2000)

Mi sembrava che Tom stesse bene.

It seemed to me that Tom was fine.

Pensavo che Tom stesse per uccidermi.

I thought Tom was going to kill me.

Non sapevo che stesse così male.

I didn't know he was that sick.

— Le vite degli altri (2006)

Sembrava che stesse per venire giù l'edificio.

It seemed like the building was about to collapse.

— L'onda (2008)

Vorrei che ci stesse da solo!

I wish he was alone!

— Enrico V (1989)

Tom temeva che Mary stesse per morire.

Tom feared that Mary was going to die.

Avevo la sensazione che stesse per dirmi qualcosa.

I had a feeling he was about to tell me something.

È come se la cantante stesse di fronte a noi.

It's as if the singer was standing in front of us.

— Infernal Affairs (2002)

Sembrava che lui stesse bene.

He seemed to be fine.

Penso che Tom stesse meglio prima che si facesse la barba.

I think Tom was better before he shaved.

Sembrava che stesse per piangere.

She looked like she was about to cry.

In questi giorni non sembrava stesse bene.

He didn't seem to be well these days.

— Vivere (1952)

Sembrava che tutto stesse per finire bene.

It seemed like everything was going to end well.

— Tropa de elite 2 - Il nemico ora è un altro (2010)

Nessuno sapeva bene che cosa stesse per succedere.

No one really knew what was about to happen.

Sembrava che stesse bene.

He seemed to be doing well.

Magari ci stesse!

If only they would!

— Enrico V (1989)

Sua madre non vorrebbe che stesse qui.

His mother wouldn't want him to be here.

— Barfi! (2012)

Inizialmente, sembrava che stesse bene.

Initially, he seemed fine.

Ero convinto che stesse per dire qualcosa di positivo.

I was convinced he was going to say something positive.

— The Big Sick - Il matrimonio si può evitare... l'amore no (2017)

adjective · plural feminine Uncommon #19,532
same, very own Agrees with a feminine plural noun.
IT: Abbiamo le stesse idee.
EN: We have the same ideas.
Forms of stesso
MasculineFeminine
Singular — stessa
Plural stessi stesse

Di giustificare il nonno e avere le sue stesse idee.

To justify grandfather and have the same ideas as him.

— Pentimento (1987)

Hanno incolpato se stesse.

They blamed themselves.

Perché non lo giudicate secondo le vostre stesse leggi?

Why don't you judge him according to your own laws?

— La passione di Cristo (2004)

Sono le nostre stesse conclusioni.

These are our own conclusions.

— Indiana Jones e l'ultima crociata (1989)

Candaule dice a Gige che la regina segue le stesse abitudini ogni sera.

Candaules tells Gyges that the queen follows the same habits every evening.

— Il paziente inglese (1996)

La canzone è stata trasmessa nelle stesse date degli omicidi.

The song was broadcast on the same dates as the murders.

— Memorie di un assassino (2003)

Questo è un uomo che ha ucciso i comunisti con le sue stesse mani.

This is a man who killed communists with his own hands.

— Oppenheimer (2023)

Era una bambola con le mie stesse identiche capacità.

It was a doll with the exact same abilities as me.

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

Essi condividono le loro stesse convinzioni.

They share the same beliefs.

Però non avrei avuto le sue stesse reazioni.

But I wouldn’t have reacted the same way he did.

— The Monster (1994)

Alle stesse condizioni di prima.

Under the same conditions as before.

— Le iene (1992)

L'istruzione rende le ragazze più sicure di se stesse.

Education makes girls more self-confident.

— Una luce dal passato (2004)

Le auto stesse sono oggetti bellissimi.

The cars themselves are beautiful objects.

— Senna (2010)

Hai creato questa situazione con le tue stesse mani!

You created this situation with your own hands!

— Lo specchio (1975)

Io voglio le stesse.

I want the same ones.

Sounds similar to

stessi ˈs t e s . s i