italiano · B2 · verb · 4 minutes
Prendere in the trapassato prossimo
Place a completed action before another past reference point.
Understand the choice
The trapassato orders two past points. Imperfect avere creates the earlier reference frame, preso completes the action, and another past tense supplies the later event.
Core rule: The trapassato prossimo of prendere is imperfetto avere + irregular participle preso.
Notice it in context
Quando è arrivato il treno, avevamo già preso un taxi.
When the train arrived, we had already taken a taxi.
Avevamo preso occurs before è arrivato; già emphasizes earlier completion.
Aveva preso appunti prima di fare la domanda.
She had taken notes before asking the question.
Aveva preso marks completed preparation.
Avevate già preso una decisione quando vi ho chiamato.
You had already made a decision when I called.
Trapassato precedes the later completed call.
What to remember
- The trapassato needs an explicit or understood later past point.
- Prendere una decisione is the standard collocation for make a decision.
Common trap: Do not use present avere in the earlier layer: avevo preso, not ho preso.