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Past Indefinite Tense
To form the past tense (something happened, something has happened, or something did happen), conjugate avere or sometimes essere and add the past participle. To form the past participle, add these endings to the appropriate stem of the infinitives:
| -are |
-ato |
| -ere |
-uto |
| -ire |
-ito |
Verbs that can take a direct object are generally conjugated with avere. Verbs that do not take a direct object (generally verbs of movement) are conjugated with essere and their past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject. Avere uses avere as its auxiliary verb, while essere uses essere as its auxiliary verb. Negative sentences with the past indefinite tense are formed by placing non in front of the auxiliary verb.
Irregular Past Participles
| fare |
fatto |
| aprire (to open) |
aperto |
| bere (to drink) |
bevuto |
| chiedere (to ask) |
chiesto |
| chiudere (to close) |
chiuso |
| conoscere |
conosciuto |
| coprire (to cover) |
coperto |
| dare |
dato |
| dire |
detto |
| leggere |
letto |
| mettere (to put) |
messo |
| offrire (to offer) |
offerto |
| perdere (to lose) |
perso (or perduto) |
| prendere |
preso |
| rispondere (to answer) |
risposto |
| scrivere (to write) |
scritto |
| soffrire (to suffer) |
sofferto |
| spendere (to spend) |
speso |
| vedere (to see) |
visto (or veduto) |
| vivere (to live) |
vissuto |
| scendere (to go down) |
sceso |
| rompere (to break) |
rotto |
Sample Avere Verb
| Avere-to have |
| ho avuto |
abbiamo avuto |
| hai avuto |
avete avuto |
| ha avuto |
hanno avuto |
Note: Ho avuto means I have, I have had, or I did have.
Essere Verbs
| arrivare |
arrive |
| andare |
go |
| uscire |
go out |
| entrare |
enter |
| costare |
cost |
| venire (venuto) |
come |
| essere (stato) |
be |
| partire |
leave |
| stare (stato) |
stay, be |
| sparire |
disappear |
| tornare |
come back/return |
These verbs that are conjugated with essere must agree with the subject. Irregular past participles are in parentheses.
Sample Essere Verb
| Andare-to go |
| sono andato/a |
siamo andati/e |
| sei andato/a |
siete andati/e |
| è andato/a |
sono andati/e |
Note: Sono andato means I went, I was going, or I did go. Remember that -o is masculine and -a is feminine. The -i ending indicates all males or males and females; whereas the -e ending indicates only females.
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Italian - Past Indefinite Tense , Irregular Past Participles, Essere Verbs
