The list below includes 150 major verbs, with their English translations and notes about their use in the presente and passato prossimo (main past tense). To study these verbs as flashcards go here.
Regular verbs will follow the rules for their class (-are, -ere, -ire) and will not be conjugated. Each irregular verb below will have the conjugation in parentheses according to the standard order of subjects: io, tu, lui/lei/Lei, noi, voi, loro.
Example: ESSERE: (io) sono, (tu) sei, (lui/lei/Lei) è, (noi) siamo, (voi) siete, (loro) sono
✽ Not included in the present-tense references are small spelling changes, such as verbs like mangiare which drop an –i in the –tu and –noi forms (mangi, mangiamo) or verbs like cercare, which insert an –h in the same forms (cerchi, cerchiamo).
✽ For –ire verbs that insert –isc in their root before adding endings in the –io, –tu, lui/lei and loro forms, there will be an –isc in parentheses after the verb.
✽ If a verb goes with ESSERE instead of AVERE in the passato prossimo, you will see the abbreviation ess. in parentheses after the present-tense reference.
✽ If a verb has an irregular past participle in the passato prossimo, you will see it in parentheses.
✽ Footnotes provide reminders regarding idiomatic uses of some verbs.
ABITARE (regular –are) – to live
ACCENDERE (regular –ere) (acceso) – to turn on
ADDORMENTARSI (regular reflexive –are) – to go to sleep
AIUTARE (regular –are) – to help
ALZARSI (regular reflexive –are) (ess.) – to get up
AMARE (regular –are) – to love
ANDARE (vado, vai, va, andiamo, andate, vanno) (ess.)– to go
ANNOIARSI (regular reflexive –are) (ess.) – to get bored
APRIRE (regular –ire) (aperto) – to open
ARRABBIARSI (regular reflexive –are) (ess.) –to get angry
ARRIVARE (regular –are) (ess.) – to arrive
ASCOLTARE (regular –are) – to listen
ASPETTARE (regular –are) – to wait (for)
AVERE (ho, hai, ha, abbiamo, avete, hanno) – to have
BALLARE (regular –are) – to dance
BERE (bevo, bevi, beve, beviamo, bevete, bevono) – to drink
CAMBIARE (regular –are) (ess.) [1] – to change
CAMMINARE (regular –are) – to walk
CANTARE (regular –are) – to sing
CAPIRE (–isc) – to understand
CENARE (regular –are) – to have dinner
CERCARE (regular –are) – to look for
CHIAMARE (regular –are) – to call
CHIEDERE (regular –ere) (chiesto) – to ask
CHIUDERE (regular –ere) (chiuso) – to close
COMINCIARE (regular –are) – to begin
COMPRARE (regular –are) – to buy
CONOSCERE (regular –ere) – to know [2]
CONSIGLIARE (regular –are) – to advise, recommend
CONTATTARE (regular –are) – to contact
CONTINUARE (regular –are) – to continue
CORRERE (regular –ere) (corso) – to run
COSTARE (regular –are) – to cost
COSTRUIRE (–isc) – to build, construct
CREARE (regular –are) – to create
CREDERE (regular –ere) – to believe
CUCINARE (regular –are) – to cook
DARE (do, dai, dà, diamo, date, danno) – to give [3]
DECIDERE (regular –ere) (deciso) – to decide
DESIDERARE (regular –are) – to desire
DIMENTICARE (regular –are) – to forget
DIRE (dico, dici, dice, diciamo, dite, dicono) (detto) – to say, to tell
DIVENTARE (regular -are) – to become
DIVERTIRSI (regular -ire) – to have fun
DOMANDARE (regular –are) – to ask
DORMIRE (regular –ire) – to sleep
DOVERE (devo, devi, deve, dobbiamo, dovete, devono) – to have to, must
ENTRARE (regular –are) (ess.) – to enter
EVITARE (regular –are) – to avoid
ESISTERE (regular –ere) (ess.) (esistito) – to exist
ESSERE (sono, sei, è, siamo, siete, sono) (ess.) (stato) – to be
FARE (faccio, fai, fa, facciamo, fate, fanno) – to make, to do [4]
FINIRE (-isc) – to finish, to end
FREQUENTARE (regular –are) – to attend
GIOCARE (regular –are) – to play (a sport)
GUARDARE (regular –are) – to look at
GUIDARE (regular –are) – to drive
IMMAGINARE (regular –are) – to imagine
INCONTRARE (regular –are) – to meet
IMPARARE (regular –are) – to learn
INFORMARE (regular –are) – to inform
INSEGNARE (regular –are) – to teach
INTERESSARE (regular –are) – to interest
LAMENTARSI (regular –are) (ess.) – to complain
LASCIARE (regular –are) – to let, to leave (trans.)
LAVARE (regular –are) – to wash
LAVORARE (regular –are) – to work
LEGGERE (regular –ere) (letto) – to read
MANDARE (regular –are) – to send
MANGIARE (regular –are) – to eat
METTERE (regular –ere) (messo) – to put
MORIRE (muoio, muori, muore, moriamo, morite, muoiono) (ess.) (morto) – to die
MOSTRARE (regular –are) – to show
NASCERE (regular -ere) (ess.) (nato) – to be born
NEVICARE (regular -are) – to snow
NOLEGGIARE (regular –are) – to rent (a car)
NUOTARE (regular –are) – to swim
OFFRIRE (regular –ire) (offerto) – to offer
ORDINARE (regular –are) – to order
ORGANIZZARE (regular -are) – to organize
PAGARE (regular –are) – to pay
PARTIRE (regular –ire) (ess.) – to leave, depart
PASSARE (regular –are) – to spend (time)
PENSARE (regular –are) – to think (about)
PERDERE (regular –ere) (perso) – to lose, to miss (a train, etc.)
PIACERE (mi piace, mi piacciono) [5] – to like
PIANGERE (regular –ere) (pianto) – to cry
PIOVERE (regular –ere) – to rain
PORRE (pongo, poni, pone, poniamo, ponete, pongono) (posto) – to put
PORTARE (regular –are) – to bring, to wear
POTERE (posso, puoi, può, possiamo, potete, possono) – to be able to
PRANZARE (regular –are) – to have lunch
PRATICARE (regular –are) – to practice
PREFERIRE (-isc) [6] – to prefer
PRENDERE (regular –ere) (preso) – to take [7]
PREOCCUPARSI (regular –are) (ess.) – to worry
PREPARARE (regular –are) – to prepare
PROMETTERE (regular –ere) (promesso) – to promise
PROVARE (regular –are) – to try
PULIRE (-isc) – to clean
RICEVERE (regular –ere) – to receive
RICORDARE (regular –are) – to remember
RIDERE (regular –ere) (riso) – to laugh
RIPETERE (regular –ere)– to repeat
RICONOSCERE (regular –ere) – to recognize
RICORDARE (regular –are) – to remember
RIMANERE (rimango, rimani, rimane, rimaniamo, rimanete, rimangono) (ess.) (rimasto) – to remain
RISPONDERE (regular –ere) (risposto) –to respond
RISUCIRE (like USCIRE: riesco, riesci, etc.) (ess.) – to succeed, to manage
ROMPERE /ROMPERSI (regular –ere) (rotto) – to break
SBAGLIARSI (regular –are) (ess.) – to make a mistake
SAPERE (so, sai, sa, sappiamo, sapete, sanno) – to know
SCEGLIERE (scelgo, scegli, sceglie, scegliamo, scegliete, scelgono) – to choose
SCRIVERE (regular –ere) (scritto) – to write
SCUSARE (regular –are) – to excuse
SEDERSI (mi siedo, ti siedi, si siede, ci sediamo, vi sedete, si siedono) (ess.) – to sit down
SEGUIRE (regular –ire) – to follow
SEMBRARE (regular –are) – to seem
SENTIRE (regular –ire) – to hear, to smell
SENTIRSI (regular reflexive -ire) – to feel
SERVIRE (regular –ire) – to serve
SMETTERE (regular –ere) (smesso) – to stop
SPEDIRE (-isc) – to send
SPEGNERE (regular –ire) (spento) – to turn off
SPENDERE (regular –ere) (speso) – to spend (money)
SPERARE (regular –are) – to hope
SPIEGARE (regular –are) – to explain
SPOSARSI (regular –are) (ess.) – to get married
STARE (sto, stai, sta, stiamo, state, stanno) – to stay [8]
STUDIARE (regular –are) –to study
STUPIRE (-isc) – to amaze
SUGGERIRE (–isc) – to suggest
SUONARE (regular –are) – to play (an instrument)
SVEGLIARSI (regular –are) (ess.) – to wake up
TELEFONARE (regular –are) – to call
TENERE (tengo, tieni, tiene, teniamo, tenete, tengono) – to keep
TRADURRE (traduco, traduci, traduce, traduciamo, traducete, traducono) (tradotto) – to translate
TRASFERIRSI (-isc) (ess.) – to move
TROVARE (regular –are) – to find
USARE (regular –are) – to use
USCIRE (esco, esci, esce, usciamo, uscite, escono) (ess.) – to go out
VEDERE (regular –ere) (visto) – to see
VENDERE (regular –ere) – to sell
VENIRE (vengo, vieni, viene, veniamo, venite, vengono) (ess.) – to come
VESTIRSI (regular –ire) (ess.) – to get dressed
VIAGGIARE (regular –are) – to travel
VIETARE (regular –are) – to prohibit
VISITARE (regular –are) – to visit [9]
VIVERE (regular –ere) (vissuto) – to live
VOLARE (regular –are) – to fly
VOLERE (voglio, vuoi, vuole, vogliamo, volete, vogliono) – to want
[1] Cambiare goes w/ essere in the passato prossimo if the subject of the sentence is the one undergoing the change. (e.g. I changed = Sono cambiato. v. I changed my mind = Ho cambiato idea.)
[2] Conoscere refers to familiarity (or acquaintanceship) with people, places, or bodies of knowledge; sapere refers to factual knowledge.
[3] There are several idiomatic uses of dare (e.g. dare del tu, dare un esame, etc.)
[4] There are many idiomatic uses of fare: (fare attenzione, fare il bagno, fare colazione, etc.)
[5] The subject of piacere is the thing liked. Read about piacere and like verbs here.
[6] Do not confuse PREFERISCO (= I prefer) with PREFERITO (the adjective for favorite)
[7] Prendere is also used idiomatically with decisione: prendere una decisione = to make a decision.
[8] There are a number of idiomatic uses of stare: (stare zitto, stare attento, etc.)
[9] Use visitare for visiting a place; Use andare a trovare for visiting people.