How to Translate Italian Present Verbs to Past Tense

Proper conjugation may allow you to hold conversations with native speakers while visiting the famous Trevi Fountain.

The Italian language is often considered one of the most beautiful, though learning Italian often proves itself to be a challenging task for anyone living outside of Italy. Because it may be difficult to find native speakers, people who are learning the language often struggle with attaining a thorough knowledge of vocabulary and understanding the natural flow of the language. Proper conjugation is integral to the language's rhythm. Luckily, once you have learned how to conjugate Italian verbs in the present tense, conjugating in other tenses simply becomes a process of application and memorization.

Instructions

1. Identify the verb you would like to use. If you have chosen a verb that, in its infinitive form, ends in -ere in its infinitive form, remove the ending of the word, leaving the root and add the appropriate ending of either -ei, -esti, -é, -emmo, -este or -erono.

   Example: ricevere (to receive)

   Present Tense (i.e. Presente):

   io ricevo

   tu ricevi

   lui, lei riceve

   noi riceviamo

   voi ricevete

   loro ricevono

   Past Tense (i.e. Passato Remoto):

   io ricevetti/ricevei

   tu ricevesti

   lui, lei ricevette/ricevé

   noi ricevemmo

   voi riceveste

   loro ricevettero/riceverono

2. Remove the ending from an -ire verb, leaving the root, and add the appropriate ending of either -ii, -isti, -í, -immo, -iste, or -irono.

   Example: carpire (to snatch, seize)

   Presente:

   io carpisco

   tu carpisci

   lui, lei carpisce

   noi carpiamo

   voi carpite

   loro carpiscono

   Passato Remoto:

   io carpii

   tu carpisti

   lui, lei carpì

   noi carpimmo

   voi carpiste

   loro carpirono

3. Remove the ending from an -are verb, leaving the root, and add the appropriate ending of either ai, -asti, -ò, -ammo, -aste, or -arono.

   Example: ballare (to dance)

   Presente

   io ballo

   tu balli

   lui, lei balla

   noi balliamo

   voi ballate

   loro ballano

   Passato Remoto:

   io ballai

   tu ballasti

   lui, lei ballò

   noi ballammo

   voi ballaste

   loro ballarono

Tips & Warnings

• Just like many other languages, there are verbs that are irregular, such as dire (to say) or tenere (to hold). To make sure that you are conjugating a select verb correctly, it is wise to clarify that you are not working with an irregular verb by referring to an Italian grammar guide.

References

• Italian Verbs: Home Page