Italian grammar · Elementary (A2)
The passato prossimo: talking about the past
How to form the passato prossimo with avere or essere, the most common irregular participles, and agreement.
How it's formed
The is the everyday past tense. It means both “I ate” and “I have eaten”. It has two parts: the present of or , and the past participle (the “-ed” form, like “worked”).
Regular participles are easy: -are becomes -ato, -ere becomes -uto, -ire becomes -ito.
| Infinitive | Participle | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (I spoke to Sara.) | ||
| (They sold the house.) | ||
| (We slept well.) |
Common irregular participles
Many common verbs have an irregular participle, especially -ere verbs. These are worth learning early.
| Infinitive | Participle | Infinitive | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| (be) | (take) | ||
| (do, make) | (put) | ||
| (say) | (read) | ||
| (see) | (write) | ||
| (come) | (drink) | ||
| (open) | (close) | ||
| (be born) | (stay) |
Avere or essere?
Most verbs use . Verbs of movement from one place to another and verbs of change or staying the same use : , , , , , , , , , , , , and itself. All reflexive verbs and also use .
With , the participle agrees with the subject like an adjective: -o, -a, -i, -e. With , it normally stays in -o.
| Subject | ||
|---|---|---|
- Ieri sera sono uscita con Giulia.Last night I went out with Giulia. (said by a woman)
- Siamo arrivati a Roma alle dieci.We arrived in Rome at ten.
- Hai già fatto colazione?Have you had breakfast yet?
- Non sono mai stato in Sicilia.I've never been to Sicily. (said by a man)