Irregular Imperfect Stems

Level 3

fasiá, disiá, vesiá: the stem comes from the nosautres form.

How It Works

Verbnosautresieuel, ela
farfasèmfasiáifasiá
diredisèmdisiáidisiá
veirevesèmvesiáivesiá
beurebevèmbeviáibeviá
volervolèmvoliáivoliá
poderpodèmpodiáipodiá
sabersabèmsabiáisabiá

These verbs look irregular because their present has two stems: fau, fasèm. The imperfect always uses the stem of nosautres.

The imperfect of far is the one you need for the weather in the past: Fasiá bèl temps. Fasiá fred.

Cal has the imperfect caliá. Èsser (èri) and aver (aviái) have their own entries.

Examples (5)

  1. Fasiá bèl temps.

    The weather was nice.

    Fasiá comes from fasèm.

  2. Disiái pas res.

    I was not saying anything.

    Disiái comes from disèm.

  3. Vesiam lo can dins lo jardin.

    We could see the dog in the garden.

    Vesiam comes from vesèm.

  4. Voliái un cafè.

    I wanted a coffee.

    Voliái comes from volèm.

  5. Sabiás la responsa?

    Did you know the answer?

    Sabiás comes from sabèm.

Common Mistakes

  • Using -ar endings with the infinitive stem of dire.

    Disava pas res.
    Disiái pas res.

    Dire is not an -ar verb. The imperfect uses the stem of disèm.

  • Using the short present stem for far.

    Fava bèl temps.
    Fasiá bèl temps.

    The imperfect of far is built on fasèm, not on fa.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Irregular Imperfect StemsLevel 3

Learn This First

Irregular imperfect stems come from the nosautres present, so the regular imperfect and the presents of far and dire come first.

Words in This Pattern

farfairedireveirebeurevolerpodersaber