What’s an irregular verb?
An irregular verb in Italian is one that doesn’t follow standard conjugation rules, like verbs ending in -are, -ere, or -ire in Italian. Every language has them, with examples like “to be,” “can,” or “may” in English, while Italian has even more.
It’s important to learn and memorize irregular verbs in Italian because they are the most commonly used verbs in everyday conversation.
How to Learn Irregular Verbs
Make a list of the most common Italian irregular verbs in your notebook or on flashcards to help you remember them. Note that irregular verbs in the present tense tend to remain irregular when conjugated in other tenses (e.g., past, future) and moods (e.g., conditional, subjunctive).
You can find exercises on irregular verbs almost everywhere online or in grammar textbooks for beginners.
List of the Most Common Italian Irregular Verbs (Present Tense)
| 1. AVERE (to have) | io ho, tu hai, lui ha, noi abbiamo, voi avete, loro hanno |
| 2. ESSERE (to be) | io sono, tu sei, lui/lei è, noi siamo, voi siete, loro sono |
| 3. STARE (to stay) | io sto, tu stai, lui/lei sta, noi stiamo, voi state, loro stanno |
| 4. ANDARE (to go) | io vado, tu vai, lui/lei va, noi andiamo, voi andate, loro vanno |
| 5. USCIRE (to leave, to go out) | io esco, tu esci, lui/lei esce, noi usciamo, voi uscite, loro escono |
| 6. VENIRE (to come) | io vengo, tu vieni, lui/lei viene, noi veniamo, voi venite, loro vengono |
| 7. FARE (to do, to make) | io faccio, tu fai, lui/lei fa, noi facciamo, voi fate, loro fanno |
| 8. DARE (to give) | io do, tu dai, lui/lei da, noi diamo, voi date, loro danno |
| 9. DIRE (to say, to tell) | io dico, tu dici, lui/lei dice, noi diciamo, voi dite, loro dicono |
| 10. SCEGLIERE (to choose) | io scelgo, tu scegli, lui/lei sceglie, noi scegliamo, voi scegliete, loro scelgono |
| 11. RIMANERE (to remain) | io rimango, tu rimani, lui/lei rimane, noi rimaniamo, voi rimanete, loro rimangono |
| 12. TENERE (to keep) | io tengo, tu tieni, lui/lei tiene, noi teniamo, voi tenete, loro tengono |
| 13. BERE (to drink) | io bevo, tu bevi, lui/lei beve, noi beviamo, voi bevete, loro bevono |
| 14. SAPERE (to know) | io so, tu sai, lui/lei sa, noi sappiamo, voi sapete, loro sanno |
| 15. VOLERE (to want) | io voglio, tu vuoi, lui/lei vuole, noi vogliamo, voi volete, loro vogliono |
| 16. POTERE (can, may) | io posso, tu puoi, lui/lei può, noi possiamo, voi potete, loro possono |
| 17. DOVERE (to need, must / to have to) | io devo, tu devi, lui/lei deve, noi dobbiamo, voi dovete, loro devono |
Test Your Italian
Not sure what your Italian level is? I’ve created a free online Italian test to help you determine it.Irregular Italian Verbs Ending in “-IRE”:
A number of verbs in the third conjugation are considered semi-irregular. These are the -ire verbs that follow an irregular pattern. This category includes some very common verbs, such as “capire” (to understand), “finire” (to finish), or “pulire” (to clean). These verbs add the infix “-isc-” to all persons except the first and second person plural (noi and voi), as shown in the examples below.
Note that the infix “-isc” is used only in the present tense and present subjunctive but not in the other tenses and moods.
| io | finisco |
| tu | finisci |
| lui, lei | finisce |
| noi | finiamo |
| voi | finite |
| loro | finiscono |
More verbs adding the infix “isc”:
- Capire (to understand)
- Costruire (to build)
- Pulire (to clean)
- Preferire (to prefer)
- Restituire (to return something)
- Spedire (to send, to ship)
