Chapter 13 - Simple Past Tense
The Simple Past Tense is used to describe an action which occurred at a specified time, and is now over.
The simple past tense is a completed action, such as I went to the store, I called my sister, and so on. It is almost always accompanied by an expression of time, for example, In 1492, Columbus sailed to the New World, Yesterday, I spoke to Helen. On Tuesday, we ate at an Italian restaurant. This tense is used to recount a story or an historical event. In ordinary speech, it is seldom used.
The simple past tense is the most complex of the tenses in the Italian language, with many irregularities and exceptions to general rules. An attempt was made here to include many, but not all of the irregular verbs, as many verbs are merely compounds of base verbs. For example, aggiụngere, congiụngere, disgiụngere, and so on are compounds of giụngere. For the full list of verbs, the reader should consult the appendix. The endings for this tense are added to the stems. There are three sets of endings, one for each verb group.
Group 1 verbs end in -are. The model for this group is the verb parlare, to speak; its stem is parl-. The endings are shown in italics, and they are the same for all of the regular verbs in this group
I spoke, did speak Io parl + ai parlai (pahr-lAH-ee)
you spoke, did speak Tu parl + asti parlasti (pahr-lAH-stee)
he, she, who spoke, did speak Lei, lui, chi parl + ò parlò (pahr-lAW)
we spoke, did speak Noi parl + ammo parlammo (pahr-lAHm-moh)
you spoke, did speak Voi parl + aste parlaste (pahr-lAH-stay)
they, who spoke, did speak Loro, chi parl + ạrono parlạrono (pahr-lAH-roh-noh)
Pronunciation in the simple past tense is shown in the group model, and there are some exceptions. Often, accent marks are not used in written Italian, however, in this text, accent marks will be used when departures from the usual pronunciation rules occur.
In group 1, the following verbs are irregular in the past tense
dare, to give: detti, dẹsti, dette, dẹmmo, dẹste, dẹttero
Like dare ridare, to give back
ristare, to stop, desist stare, to stand
fare, to do, make: fẹci, facẹsti, fẹce, facẹmmo, facẹste, fẹcero
[the endings -ẹci, -acẹsti, -ẹce, -acẹmmo, -acẹste, and -ẹcero are added to the stems]
Like fare: assuefare, to accustom, inure contraffare, to counterfeit
disassuefare, to give up a habit disfare, to undo liquefare, to liquify
putrefare, to putrify rarefare, to rarefy rifare, to do over, repeat
sfare, to undo, to thaw, melt soddisfare, to satisfy soprafare, to overwhelm
strafare, to do too much, overdo stupefare, to stupefy torrefare, to roast
tumefare, to swell
Group 2 verbs end in -ere or -rre. The model for this group is the verb credẹre, to believe; its stem is cred-. The endings are shown in italics, and they are the same for all regular verbs in this group.
I believed, did believe Io cred +ẹi credẹi (cray-dAY-ee)
You believed, did believe Tu cred + ẹsti credẹsti (cray-dAYs-tee)
He, she, who believed, did believe Lei, Lui, chi cred + è credè (cray-dEH)
We believed, did believe Noi cred + ẹmmo credẹmmo (cray-dAYm-moh)
You believed, did believe Voi cred + ẹste credẹste (cray-dAYs-tay)
They, who believed, did believe Loro, chi cred + ẹrono credẹrono (cray-dAY-roh-noh)
Pronunciation in the simple past tense is shown in the group model, but in group 2 there are many exceptions. n this text, accent marks will be used when departures from the usual pronunciation rules occur.
In group 2, the following verbs are irregular in the simple past tense
accęndere, to light: accesi, accendẹsti, accese, accendẹmmo, accendẹste, accẹsero
[The stems are shortened, and the endings -si, -ẹsti, -se, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -sero are added to the
[stems. The reduced stem is shown in bold type. Compound forms of a verb (for example,
[aggiụngere, congiụngere, disgiụngere, which are compounds of giụngere ) have the same
[irregularities as the root verb. Some, but not all, of the compound verbs are listed here.]
NOTE The infinitive of these verbs is stressed on the stem, and an accent mark was used to show the stress.
Like accęndere:
acclụdere, to include accǫrgersi, to perceive aggiụngere, to add
allụdere, to allude appęndere, to append appręndere, to learn
ạrdere, to burn ascęndere, to ascend aspęrgere, to sprinkle
assịdersi, to sit down attęndere, to wait attịngere, to attain
attǫrcere, to twist avvǫlgere, to wrap, wrap up capovǫlgere, to overturn
chiędere, to ask chiụdere, to close cịngere, to gird
coincịdere, to coincide coinvǫlgere, to involve collịdere, to collide
compręndere, to comprehend conclụdere, to conclude condiscẹndere, to condescend
condivịdere, to share contęndere, to contend contụndere, to bruise
cọrrere, to run cospạrgere, to sprinkle, strew costrịngere, to compel
decịdere, to decide decọrrere, to elapse delụdere, to delude
derịdere, to deride, mock detęrgere, to wash off or away difęndere, to defend
dipęndere, to depend dipịngere, to depict disattẹndere, to disregard
discęndere, to descend dischiụdere, to disclose discọrrere, to talk about
disgiụngere, to disjoin, sever disillụdere, to disillusion dispęrdere, to disperse
dissǫlvere, to dissolve dissuadere, to dissuade distẹndere, to distend
distịnguere, to distinguish distǫrcere, to distort divẹrgere, to diverge
divịdere, to divide elịdere, to elide elụdere, to elude
emẹrgere, to emerge ęrgere, to raise, lift up esclụdere, to exclude
esplǫdere, to explode estịnguere, to extinguish evạdere, to evade
fịngere, to feign frạngere, to break, smash fụngere, to act as someone
giụngere, to arrive illụdere, to deceive immęrgere, to immerse
incịdere, to engrave incọrrere, to incur indụlgere, to indulge
infrạngere, to infringe intercọrrere, to elapse intrụdere, to intrude
invạdere, to invade mǫrdere, to bite mụngere, to milk
nascọndere, to hide occọrrere, to occur offęndere, to offend
persuạdere, to persuade piạngere, to weep pǫrgere, to offer
precọrrere, to precede predilịgere, to prefer something pręndere, to take
pụngere, to prick rạdere, to shave rẹndere, to give back
ricongiụngere, to rejoin rịdere, to laugh rimanere, to stay
rispọndere, to respond risǫlvere, to resolve scẹndere, to descend
sọrgere, to rise spạndere, to spread spạrgere, to disperse
spịngere, to push strịngere, to press tęndere, to stretch
tęrgere, to wipe tịngere, to tint, dye tǫrcere, to twist
trascọrrere, to pass or spend time uccịdere. to kill ụngere, to oil, grease
vịncere, to win vǫlgere, to turn
addurre, to adduce: addussi, adducẹsti, addusse, adducẹmmo, adducẹste, addụssero
[the stems vary from ~du- to ~duc-, and alternate set of endings ( -ssi, -ẹsti, -sse, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -ssero) is used]
Like addurre:
addurre, to adduce circondurre, to lead around condurre, to conduct
dedurre, to deduce indurre, to induce introdurre, to introduce
produrre, to produce reintrodurre, to reintroduce ricondurre, to bring, take again
ridurre, to reduce riprodurre, to reproduce ritradurre, to retranslate
sedurre, to seduce tradurre, to translate trasdurre, to transduce
afflịggere, to afflict: afflissi, affliggẹsti, afflisse, affliggẹmmo, affliggẹste, afflịssero
[the stems are shortened, and the endings -ssi, -ẹsti, -sse, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, -ssero are added to the stems]
[the reduced stem is shown in bold type; compound forms (compiangere, ritịngere, and so on) have ]
[the same irregularities as the root verb. Some of the compound verbs are listed here.]
NOTE The infinitive of these verbs is stressed on the stem, and an accent mark was used to show the stress.
Like afflịggere:
affịggere, to affix annęttere, to annex circonflẹttere, to bend around
circoscrịvere, to circumscribe concędere, to concede confịggere, to nail
connẹttere, to connect corręggere, to correct corrispǫndere, to correspond
crocifịggere, to crucify deflẹttere, to deflect descrịvere, to describe
discụtere, to discuss distrụggere, to destroy elęggere, to elect
figgere, to fix, stick frịggere, to fry infịggere, to drive, thrust
lęggere, to read inflịggere, to inflict prefịggere, to arrange in advance
prescrịvere, to prescribe proscrịvere, to proscribe protęggere, to protect
ręggere, to hold rescịndere, to rescind rielęggere, to re-elect
riflęttere, to reflect rifrịggere, torefry rilęggere, to read again
rivịvere, to revive scịndere, to separate sconfịggere, to defeat, vanquish
sconnęttere, to disconnect scrịvere, to write strụggere, to melt, thaw
trafịggere, to transfigure vịvere, to live
assụmere, to assume: assunsi, assumẹsti, assunse, assumẹmmo, assumẹste, assụnsero
[the stem varies, and the endings -si, -ẹsti, -se, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, -sero are added to make the verbs]
Like assụmere: consụmere, to consume desụmere, to deduce, infer, gather
presụmere, to presume riassụmere, to resume
avere, to have: ẹbbi, avẹsti, ẹbbe, avẹmmo, avẹste, ẹbbero
bẹvere, to drink: bẹvvi, bevẹsti, bẹvve, bevẹmmo, bevẹste, bẹvvero
Like bevere: imbevere, to imbibe
cadere, to fall: caddi, cadẹsti, cadde, cadẹmmo, cadẹste, cạddero
Like cadere: accadere, to befall decadere, to decay
ricadere, to relapse, fall again scadere, to decline, deteriorate
cǫgliere, to gather: colsi, cogliẹsti, colse, cogliẹmmo, cogliẹste, cǫlsero
[the stem varies, and a different set of endings -si, -ẹsti, -se, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, -sero is used]
Like cǫgliere: accǫgliere, to welcome disciǫgliere, to dissolve
distǫgliere, to withdraw equivalere, to be equivalent invalere, to become fashionable
prevalere, to be prevalent, to prevail riaccǫgliere, to readmit someone ritǫgliere, to take away again
scẹgliere, to choose sciǫgliere, to untie, to loosen tǫgliere, to take away
valere, to be worth
conọscere, to know : conọbbi, conoscẹsti, conọbbe, conoscẹmmo, conoscẹste, conọbbero
[the stem varies, and a different set of endings, -bbi, -ẹsti, -bbe, -ẹmmo, ẹste, -bbero is used]
Like conọscere: crẹscere, to grow decrẹscere, to decrease
disconọscere, to disclaim incrẹscere. to regret riconọscere, to recognize
rincrẹscere, to grow again
cuǫcere, to cook: cossi, cocẹsti, cosse, cocẹmmo, cocẹste, cǫssero
[the stem varies, and the endings -ssi, -ẹsti, -sse, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -ssero are used]
Like cuǫcere: percuǫtere, to strike ricuǫcere, to recook
riscuǫtere, to collect, draw a salary scuǫcere, to overcook scuǫtere, to shake
stracuǫcere, to overdo
dirịgere, to direct: dirẹssi, dirigẹsti, dirẹsse, dirigẹmmo, dirigẹste, dirẹssero
[the stem is changed, and the endings -ssi, -ẹsti, -sse, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -ssero are used]
Like dirịgere: erịgere, to erect neglịgere, to neglect
eccęllere, to excel: eccẹlsi, eccellẹsti, eccẹlse, eccellẹmmo, eccellẹste, eccẹlsero
[the stem is shortened, and the endings -si, -ẹsti, -se, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -sero are used]
Like eccẹllere: divellere, to uproot svẹllere, to tear out
dolere, to suffer, ache: dolsi, dolẹsti, dolse, dolẹmmo, dolẹste, dǫlsero
espęllere, to expell: espulsi, espellẹsti, espulse, espellẹmmo, espellẹste, espụlsero
[the stem varies, and the endings -si, -ẹsti, -se, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -sero are used]
Like espẹllere: repẹllere, to repel
ęssere, to be: fui, fọsti, fu, fummo, fọste, fụrono
fọndere, to fuse, smelt: fusi, fondẹsti, fuse, fondẹmmo, fondẹste, fụsero
[the stem varies, and the endings -si, -ẹsti, -se, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -sero are used]
Like fọndere: confọndere, to confuse; diffọndere, to diffuse; effọndere, to pour out, effuse; infọndere, to infuse
giacere, to lie down: giạcqui, giacẹsti, giạcque, giacẹmmo, giacẹste, giạcquero
[the stem varies; and the endings -i, -ẹsti, -e, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -ero are used]
Like giacere: compiacere, to delight dispiacere, to displease
nascere, to be born (nacqui, etc.) nuǫcere, to injure (nocqui, etc.) piacere, to please
rinascere, to be reborn (rinacqui, etc.) tacere, to be silent
imprịmere, to impress: imprẹssi, imprimẹsti, imprẹsse, imprimẹmmo, imprimẹste, imprẹssero
[the stem varies, and the endings -ssi, -ẹsti, -sse, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -ssero are used]
Like imprịmere: comprịmere, to compress decomprịmere, to decompress
deprịmere, to depress esprịmere, to express opprịmere, to oppress
męttere, to place, put: misi, mettẹsti, mise, mettẹmmo, mettẹste, mịsero
[the stem is changed, and the endings -si, -ẹsti, -se, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -sero are used]
Like mẹttere: ammẹttere, to admit ammẹttere, to admit, to let in
annẹttere, to annex commẹttere, to commit compromẹttere, to compromise
connẹttere, to connect dimẹttere, to discharge dismẹttere, to discard
emẹttere, to emit estromẹttere, to exclude, to oust frammẹttere, to insert
immẹttere, to put in inframmẹttere, to interpose inframmettersi, to interfere, to meddle
interconnẹttere, to interconnect intromẹttere, to insert intromettersi, to intervene
manomẹttere, to tamper with omẹttere, to omit permẹttere, to permit
premẹttere, to state first promẹttere, to promise radiotrasmẹttere, to broadcast, to radio
riammẹttere, to readmit ricetrasmẹttere, to transmit and receive
ricommẹttere, to commit again riemẹttere, to re-issue rimẹttere, to put back
ripromẹttere, to promise again ritrasmẹttere, to rebroadcast scommẹttere, to disconnect, to wager
smẹttere, to stop, to quit sottomẹttere, to subjugate teleradiotrasmẹttere, to simulcast
trasmẹttere, to pass on or down videotrasmẹttere, to broadcast on television; to telecast
muǫvere, to move: mossi, muovẹsti, mosse, muovẹmmo, movẹste, mǫssero
[the stem varies, and the endings -ssi, -ẹsti, -sse, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -ssero are added to the stems]
Like muovere: commuǫvere, to move emotionally
promuǫvere, to promote rimuǫvere, to remove
nuǫcere, to harm: nǫqui, nocẹsti, nǫcque, nocẹmmo, nocẹste, nǫcquero
parere, to seem: parvi, parẹsti, parve, parẹmmo, parẹste, pạrvero
pọrre, to put: pọsi, ponẹsti, pọse, ponẹmmo, ponẹste, pọsero
[the stem varies, and the endings -si, -ẹsti, -se, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -sero are used]
Like pọrre: antepọrre, to place or put before appọrre, to append
compọrre, to be composed (of), to compose contrappọrre, to oppose; to contrast;
contropropọrre, to counteroffer decompọrre, to decompose depọrre, to put, set, lay down
dispọrre, to dispose espọrre, to expose fotocompọrre, to photocompose
frappọrre, to interpose giustappọrre, to juxtapose impọrre, to impose
indispọrre, to irritate; to annoy interpọrre, to interpose oppọrre, to oppose
pospọrre, to postpone predispọrre, to predispose prepọrre, to place before
presuppọrre, to presuppose propọrre, to propose ricompọrre, to reassemble, to recompose
ridispọrre, to rearrange riespọrre, to expose, expound again ripọrre, to replace
ripropọrre, to repropose scompọrre, to take apart, dismantle sottoespọrre, to underexpose
sottopọrre, to subdue sovraespọrre, to overexpose sovrappọrre, to superimpose
sovrimpọrre, to overlay suppọrre, to suppose traspọrre, to transpose
riavere, to have again, recover: riẹbbi, riavẹsti, riẹbbe, riavẹmmo, riavẹste, riẹbbero
redịgere, to edit: redassi, redigẹsti, redasse, redigẹmmo, redigẹste, redạssero
redịmere, to redeem: redẹnsi, redimẹsti, redẹnse, redimẹmmo, redimẹste, redẹnsero
rọmpere, to break: ruppi, rompẹsti, ruppe, rompẹmmo, rompẹste, rụppero
[the stem varies; and the endings -i, -ẹsti, -e, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -ero are used]
Like rọmpere: corrọmpere, to corrupt dirọmpere, to brake
erọmpere, to erupt interrọmpere, to interrupt irrọmpere, to burst, break into
prorọmpere, to break or burst into
sapere, to know: sẹppi, sapẹsti, sẹppe, sapẹmmo, sapẹste, sẹppero
spęgnere, to extinguish: spẹnsi, spegnẹsti, spẹnse, spegnẹmmo, spegnẹste, spẹnsero
tenere, to hold: tẹnni, tenẹsti, tẹnne, tenẹmmo, tenẹste, tẹnnero
[the endings -ni, -ẹsti, -ne, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -nero are added to the stems]
Like tenere: appartenere, to belong to attenere, to be relevant
contenere, to contain detenere, to detain intrattenere, to entertain
mantenere, to maintain ottenere, to obtain ritenere, to retain
sostenere, to sustain trattenere, to restrain
trarre, to draw: trassi, traẹsti, trasse, traẹmmo, traẹste, trạssero
[the endings -ssi, -ẹsti, -sse, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -ssero are added to the stems]
Like trarre: astrarre, to abstract attrarre, to attract
contrarre, to contract decontrarre, to relax detrarre, to detract
distrarre, to distract estrarre, to extract protrarre, to protract
ritrarre, to retract sottrarre, to subtract
vedere, to see: vidi, vedẹsti, vide, vedẹmmo, vedẹste, vịdero
[the stem varies; and the endings -i, -ẹsti, -e, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -ero are used]
Like vedere: antivedere, to foresee intravedere, to glimpse
prevedere, to see ahead provedere, to provide, look after rivedere, to see again
stravedere, to see things, hallucinate travedere, to be misled
vịncere, to win: vinsi, vincẹsti, vinse, vincẹmmo, vincẹste,vịnsero
[the stem varies; and the endings -i, -ẹsti, -e, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -ero are added to the stems]
Like vincere: avvịncere, to charm convịncere, to convince
convịncersi, to convince oneself evịncere, to infer stravincere, to win overwhelmingly
volere, to be willing, to want: volli, volẹsti, volle, volẹmmo, volẹste, vǫllero
[the stem varies; and the endings -i, -ẹsti, -e, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -ero are used]
Like volere: benvolere, to like someone disvolere, to stop liking someone
malvolere, to dislike someone rivolere, to want someone or something back
Group 3 verbs end in -ire. The model for this group is the verb finire, to finish; its stem is fin-. The endings are shown in italics, and they are the same for all regular verbs in this group.
I finished, did finish Io fin + ii finii (feen-EE-ee)
You finished, did finish Tu fin + isti finisti (feen-EEs-tee)
He, she, who finished, did finish Lei, Lui, chi fin + ì finì (feen-EE)
We finished, did finish Noi fin + immo finimmo (feen-EEm-moh)
You finished, did finish Voi fin + iste finiste (feen-EEs-tay)
They, who finished, did finish Loro, chi fin + ịrono finịrono (feen-EE-roh-noh)
Pronunciation in the simple past tense is shown in the group model, and there are some exceptions. Often, accent marks are not used in written Italian, however, in this text, accent marks will be used when departures from the usual pronunciation rules occur.
In group 3, the following verbs are irregular in the past tense
dire, to say: dissi, dicisti, disse, dicimmo, diciste, dịssero
[the stem varies; and the endings -ssi, -ẹsti, -sse, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -ssero are used]
Like dire: benedire, to bless contraddire, to contradict
disdire, to retract interdire, to interdict, prohibit maledire, to curse
predire, to predict ribenedire, to bless again ridire, to repeat
venire, to come; vẹnni, venisti, vẹnne, venimmo, veniste, vẹnnero
[a different set of the endings -ni, -ẹsti, -ne, -ẹmmo, -ẹste, and -nero are used]
Like venire: addivenire, to come to avvenire, to happen
circonvenire, to circumvent contravenire, to contravene convenire, to convene
divenire, to become intervenire, to intervene pervenire, to reach
prevenire, to prevent riconvenire, to reconvene ridivenire, to become again
rinvenire, to rediscover, recover risoveniresi, to recollect rivenire, to come back
sconvenire, to be unbecoming sovvenire, to help svenire, to faint