This is the 769th most frequent Italian word.
avesse
"Avesse" is the third-person singular imperfect subjunctive form of the verb "avere," meaning "had" or "were to have."
In this sentence, 'avesse' is used as the imperfect subjunctive mood to denote a hypothetical situation in the past.
Se lui avesse tempo, verrebbe con noi.
If he had time, he would come with us.
Here, 'avesse' appears as part of a subordinate clause introduced by uncertainty, requiring the imperfect subjunctive.
Non so se Mario avesse detto la verità.
I don't know if Mario had told the truth.
In this case, 'avesse' is used to express a desire or regret for an unrealized circumstance, following a past conditional structure.