As you know, the passato prossimo is formed with an auxiliary verb (essere or avere) + the past participle of the main verb. But some verbs, our “rebels,” have irregular past participles that we simply need to memorize.
Common Irregular Passato Prossimo Forms
The good news is that most irregular past participles in Italian are also irregular in English. For example:
- Fare → Fatto (to do → done)
- Scrivere → Scritto (to write → written)
- Leggere → Letto (to read → read)
- Vedere → Visto (to see → seen)
- Dire → Detto (to say → said)
This is a comprehensive list of the most common irregular passato prossimo forms in Italian:
| Verb (Infinitive) | Past Participle | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ESSERE | STATO | to be → been |
| AVERE | AVUTO | to have → had |
| FARE | FATTO | to do/make → did/ done/made |
| DIRE | DETTO | to say/tell → said/told |
| VEDERE | VISTO | to see → saw / seen |
| SCRIVERE | SCRITTO | to write → wrote / written |
| LEGGERE | LETTO | to read → read |
| METTERE | MESSO | to put → put |
| PRENDERE | PRESO | to take → took / taken |
| APRIRE | APERTO | to open → opened |
| CHIUDERE | CHIUSO | to close → closed |
| CHIEDERE | CHIETO | to ask → asked |
| RISOLVERE | RISOLTO | to resolve → resolved |
| VENIRE | VENUTO | to come → come |
| VIVERE | VISSUTO | to live → lived |
| MORIRE | MORTO | to die → died |
| RIDERE | RISO | to laugh → laughed |
| RIMANERE | RIMASTO | to remain → remained |
| SCENDERE | SCESO | to go down/descend → descended |
| SPENDERE | SPESO | to spend → spent |
| PERDERE | PERSO | to lose → lost |
| DECIDERE | DECISO | to decide → decided |
| OFFRIRE | OFFERTO | to offer → offered |
| CORRERE | CORSO | to run → ran / run |
| CONOSCERE | CONOSCIUTO | to know/meet → known/met |
| PIANGERE | PIANTO | to cry → cried |
| NASCONDERE | NASCOSTO | to hide → hid / hidden |
| PIACERE | PIACIUTO | to like → liked |
| RISPONDERE | RISPOSTO | to answer → answered |
| TRADURRE | TRADOTTO | to translate → translated |
| ACCENDERE | ACCESO | to turn on → turned on |
| SPEGNERE | SPENTO | to turn off → turned off |
| ROMPERE | ROTTO | to break → broke / broken |
| SCEGLIERE | SCELTO | to chose → chose / chosen |
| VINCERE | VINTO | to win → won |
| DISCUTERE | DISCUSSO | to discuss → discussed |
| PROMETTERE | PROMESSO | to promise → promised |
| CONVINCERE | CONVINTO | to convince → convinced |
Teacher’s Tip!
My advice is not to try memorizing all irregular verbs at once. Start with the most common ones, those you’ll use every day, and gradually expand your repertoire. Practice is key!
