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Regular verbs in Italian adhere to standard conjugation patterns based on their infinitive endings (-are, -ere, -ire). Irregular verbs however do not follow this pattern. They behave according to another way.
Most common Italian irregular verbs
Here is a list of the most common irregular verbs in Italian conjugated in the present tense:
- Essere – to be:
- io sono – I am
- tu sei – you are
- lui/lei è – he/she is
- noi siamo – we are
- voi siete – you are
- loro sono – they are
- Avere – to have:
- io ho – I have
- tu hai – you have
- lui/lei ha – he/she has
- noi abbiamo – we have
- voi avete – you have
- loro hanno – they have
- Andare – to go:
- io vado – I go
- tu vai – you go
- lui/lei va – he/she goes
- noi andiamo – we go
- voi andate – you go
- loro vanno – they go
- Fare – to do/make:
- io faccio – I do/make
- tu fai – you do/make
- lui/lei fa – he/she does/makes
- noi facciamo – we do/make
- voi fate – you do/make
- loro fanno – they do/make
- Dire – to say/tell:
- io dico – I say/tell
- tu dici – you say/tell
- lui/lei dice – he/she says/tells
- noi diciamo – we say/tell
- voi dite – you say/tell
- loro dicono – they say/tell
- Venire – to come:
- io vengo – I come
- tu vieni – you come
- lui/lei viene – he/she comes
- noi veniamo – we come
- voi venite – you come
- loro vengono (they come
- Stare – to stay:
- io sto – I stay
- tu stai – you stay
- lui/lei sta – he/she stays
- noi stiamo – we stay
- voi state – you stay
- loro stanno – they stay
These are just a few examples of common irregular verbs in Italian.
Categorising irregular Italian verbs
The word ‘irregular’ tells us that there is no pattern to be found in the conjugations. However, this is not completely true.
Irregular Italian verbs can be categorized based on the changes they undergo in their conjugation patterns. Here are some common categories of irregular verbs in Italian:
Changing Root Vowels: Some irregular verbs change the vowels in their root in certain conjugations. For example: “leggere” (to read) changes to “leggo” (I read) in the first person singular present tense.
Double Consonant Changes: Certain verbs exhibit changes in double consonants in specific conjugations. For instance: “chiedere” (to ask) becomes “chiedo” (I ask) in the first person singular present tense.
Stem Changes: Stem-changing verbs experience alterations in the stem, especially in the present tense. For instance: “spendere” (to spend) changes to “io spendo” (I spend) in the present tense.
Orthographic Changes: Some verbs undergo orthographic changes, especially in the gerund form. For example: “mangiare” (to eat) becomes “mangiando” (eating) in the gerund form.
Irregular Past Participles: In the past participle form, some verbs do not follow the regular pattern. For example: “aprire” (to open) has an irregular past participle “aperto.”
Completely Irregular Verbs: Understanding these categories can help learners recognize the specific irregularities exhibited by different verbs, making the process of conjugation more manageable. It’s important for learners to practice these irregular verbs in various contexts to become proficient in their usage.
List of 50 most used Italian irregular verbs
Find a table of the most used irregular verbs underneath. Sort and search as you like. Find the English translations behind the verbs.
| Italian irregular verb | English translation |
|---|---|
| Essere | to be |
| Avere | to have |
| Andare | to go |
| Fare | to do/make |
| Dire | to say/tell |
| Venire | to come |
| Stare | to say |
| Potere | to be able to/can |
| Dovere | to have/to must |
| Volere | to want |
| Sapere | to know |
| Vedere | to see |
| Bere | to drink |
| Mangiare | to eat |
| Scrivere | to write |
| Uscire | to go out |
| Conoscere | to know |
| Capire | to understand |
| Prendere | to take |
| Dare | to give |
| Tenere | to hold |
| Dovere | to owe |
| Muovere | to move |
| Rimanere | to remain |
| Nascere | to be born |
| Tradurre | to translate |
| Sorridere | to smile |
| Scendere | to descend / go down |
| Ridere | to laugh |
| Leggere | to read |
| Crescere | to grow |
| Perdere | to lose |
| Correre | to run |
| Vivere | to live |
| Ricevere | to receive |
| Aprire | to open |
| Offrire | to offer |
| Chiudere | to close |
| Iniziare | to begin |
| Finire | to finish |
| Nascere | to be born |
| Sorgere | to arise |
| Trarre | to draw/pull |
| Piacere | to like |
| Cadere | to fall |
| Scegliere | to choose |
| Scorrere | to flow |
| Ricordare | to remember |
| Preferire | to prefer |
| Cominciare | to start |
Learn more about Italian verbs
To learn more about Italian verb conjugations wether they be regular or irregular. Visit the our Learn Italian page.
List of regular Italian verbs
Find the list of regular Italian verbs here.
