The Italian Past Participle
The past participle, called participio passato in Italian, is the equivalent of the third column of the English paradigm. In linguistics, it is defined as a non-finite verb, which means that it has no subject conjugation.
It is a verb form that is used in various ways, most commonly in forming past tenses, the passive voice, and adjectives in some cases.
Below are some examples:
Ho appena visto tuo fratello.
I have just seen your brother.
Il libro è stato scritto da una famosa scrittrice.
The book has been written by a famous writer.
Le chiavi sono vicino al vaso rotto.
The keys are next to the broken vase.
In languages like Italian, the past participle is pretty important: it is used in combination with the two auxiliary verbs essere or avere to form compound tenses. The structure is as follows:
Conjugated form of avere or essere + past participle
Be aware of the fact that the tense conjugation of the auxiliary verbs depends on the verb tense you are creating. Let me show you some examples:
Avevo mangiato troppo.
I had eaten too much.
Sono stata in Italia.
I have been to Italy.
A quell’ora, avrete finito di studiare.
By that time, you will have finished studying.
How to Form Participio Passato?
Regular Verbs
The past participle of regular verbs is formed as follows:
- Past participles of -are verbs end in -ato
- Past participles of -ere verbs end in -uto
- Past participles of -ire verbs end in -ito
Let me show you some examples of the three conjugations:
- Verbs ending in -are
- Ballare (to dance): ballato
- Camminare (to walk): camminato
- Lavorare (to work): lavorato
- Mangiare (to eat): mangiato
- Verbs ending in -ere
- Avere (to have): avuto
- Cadere (to fall): caduto
- Credere (to believe): creduto
- Sapere (to know): saputo
- Verbs ending in -ire
- Capire (to understand): capito
- Dormire (to sleep): dormito
- Finire (to finish): finito
- Sentire (to feel): sentito
Irregular Verbs
Irregular past tenses are irregular because their past participle is. When this is the case, I have bad news for you: you have to learn them by heart. Before you dive into this exhaustive list, let me explain you something that I find relevant as a linguist.
There are two main types of long-term memory that comes into play when learning a language: procedural memory and declarative memory.
Procedural memory allows to automatically use language without having to think about every step. It makes using grammar correctly, pronouncing words right, and using phrases naturally much smoother.
Declarative memory allows you to remember specific information about the language, such as remembering words and what they mean, that is, the language vocabulary.
When it comes to learning irregular words, you will be using the declarative part of your memory, because you have to learn that a certain word has a certain form no matter what.
Now, have a look at the 50 most common Italian irregular past participles and start learning them.
| Italian Infinitive | English Translation | Italian Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| aprire | to open | aperto |
| bere | to drink | bevuto |
| chiedere | to ask | chiesto |
| chiudere | to close | chiuso |
| correre | to run | corso |
| coprire | to cover | coperto |
| decidere | to decide | deciso |
| dire | to say | detto |
| dividere | to divide | diviso |
| essere | to be | stato |
| fare | to do, to make | fatto |
| leggere | to read | letto |
| mettere | to put | messo |
| morire | to die | morto |
| nascere | to be born | nato |
| offrire | to offer | offerto |
| perdere | to lose | perso |
| prendere | to take | preso |
| produrre | to produce | prodotto |
| ridere | to laugh | riso |
| rompere | to break | rotto |
| scegliere | to choose | scelto |
| scrivere | to write | scritto |
| scendere | to descend | sceso |
| spegnere | to turn off | spento |
| spendere | to spend | speso |
| succedere | to happen | successo |
| tenere | to hold | tenuto |
| togliere | to remove | tolto |
| tradurre | to translate | tradotto |
| uccidere | to kill | ucciso |
| vedere | to see | visto |
| venire | to come | venuto |
| vincere | to win | vinto |
| vivere | to live | vissuto |
| accendere | to turn on | acceso |
| arrostire | to roast | arrostito |
| assumere | to hire, to assume | assunto |
| cogliere | to pick | colto |
| concludere | to conclude | concluso |
| crescere | to grow | cresciuto |
| cuocere | to cook | cotto |
| dipingere | to paint | dipinto |
| esprimere | to express | espresso |
| fondere | to melt | fuso |
| friggere | to fry | fritto |
| nascondere | to hide | nascosto |
| piangere | to cry | pianto |
| rispondere | to respond | risposto |
| soffrire | to suffer | sofferto |
| spingere | to push | spinto |
Italian Compound Tenses with the Past Participle
Passato Prossimo
The Italianpassato prossimo (present perfect) is used to describe actions that have been completed in the recent past, often with an impact on the present.
Construction: present tense of avere or essere + past participle
Cosa hai fatto?
What have you done?
Trapassato Prossimo
Trapassato prossimo (past perfect) is used to talk about an action that had been completed before another action in the past.
Construction: imperfect tense of avere or essere + past participle
Non ero mai stata in Italia.
I had never been to Italy.
Futuro Anteriore
The futuro anteriore (future perfect) indicates an action that will have been completed by a certain future point.
Construction: simple future of avere or essere + past participle
Avrò finito il lavoro entro domani.
I will have finished the job by tomorrow.
Condizionale Passato
Condizionale passato (past conditional) is used to express a condition that could have been completed in the past under different circumstances.
Construction: present conditional of avere or essere + past participle
Mi sarebbe piaciuto fare più foto, ma purtroppo avevo il cellulare scarico.
I would have liked to take more pictures, but unfortunately, my mobile phone was out of battery.
Congiuntivo Passato
Congiuntivo passato (past subjunctive) is used to express doubt, uncertainty, or a non-real situation that has occurred in the past.
Construction: present subjunctive of avere or essere + past participle
Non credo che Mario mi abbia detto la verità.
I don’t think Mario told me the truth.
Congiuntivo Trapassato
Congiuntivo trapassato(past perfect subjunctive) indicates a hypothetical situation in the past, often in subordinate clauses following expressions of doubt or hypothetical conditions.
Construction: imperfect subjunctive of avere or essere + past participle
Avevo paura che non avessero risolto quel problema.
I was afraid they hadn’t solved that problem.
Past Participle: Essere or Avere?
One of the hardest parts of the Italian compound tenses regards the choice of the auxiliary verbs essere andavere. We use one or the other depending on whether the main verb is transitive or intransitive:
- Avere is used with transitive verbs, that is, verbs that are linked to the direct object without the use of any preposition.
- Essere is used with intransitive verbs, that is, verbs that need a preposition to be linked to the indirect object.
Always remember that when you conjugate a compound tense with the auxiliary verb essere, the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject of the sentence.
Sono andati a casa presto.
They went home early.
Other Uses of the Italian Past Participle
Since it is a non-finite tense, the past participle is not only used in verbal constructions. Here I will show you other ways it is commonly used.
- As a noun
When an Italian past participle functions as a noun, it essentially becomes the subject or object of a sentence. This use is somewhat similar to gerunds in English, and it often refers to the action or the result of the action described by the verb. Here are a few examples and explanations:
Questo è un regalo del mio amato.
This is a present by my lover.
Here, amato (the loved one) refers to a person who is loved, resulting from the verb amare (to love).
Il conosciuto è meno spaventoso delle novità.
The known is less scary than news.
- As an adjective
The Italian past participle can also functions as an adjective, modifying nouns and agreeing in gender and number with them. This use can describe the state or condition of a noun.
Lascio la porta chiusa o aperta?
Shall I leave the door closed or open?
- In absolute constructions
The past participle can be used in absolute constructions (participio presente or participio passato) to provide additional information about the circumstances of an action, separated by a comma from the main clause.
Terminato il lavoro, siamo andati a casa
Having finished the work, we went home.
The past participle is also often found in various idiomatic expressions where its use is fixed.
È fatta!
It’s done!
Sono stanco morto.
I am dead tired.
Capito?
Understood?
As you probably perceived, the participio passato is a fundamental element of Italian grammar because it plays a versatile role in various linguistic functions. Not only is it crucial in forming compound tenses, but it also play other important roles for daily communication.
Mastering these aspects of the Italian participio passato will surely enhance your proficiency in Italian as well as enrich your ability to navigate complex grammatical structures.
Make sure you dedicate some time in learning irregular forms of the Italian past participle, and you’ll be ready to speak Italian in no time!
