Past Participle
The past participle will be important in future lessons covering the perfect tenses. To form
the past participle, simply drop the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, -ir) and add -ado (for -ar
verbs) or -ido (for -er, -ir verbs).
hablar - ar + ado = hablado
comer - er + ido = comido
The following common verbs have irregular past participles:
abrir (to open) .......... abierto (open)
cubrir (to cover)........ cubierto (covered)
decir (to say) ............ dicho (said)
escribir (to write) ...... escrito (written)
freír (to fry) .............. frito (fried)
hacer (to do) ............ hecho (done)
morir (to die) ............ muerto (dead)
poner (to put) .......... puesto (put)
resolver (to resolve) .. resuelto (resolved)
romper (to break) ..... roto (broken)
ver (to see) ............... visto (seen)
volver (to return) ...... vuelto (returned)
Note that compound verbs based on the irregular verbs inherit the same irregularities.
Here are a few examples:
componer ................ compuesto
describir ................... descrito
devolver ................... devuelto
Most past participles can be used as adjectives. Like other adjectives, they agree in gender
and number with the nouns that they modify.
La puerta está cerrada.
The door is closed.
Las puertas están cerradas.
The doors are closed.
El restaurante está abierto.
The restaurant is open.
Los restaurantes están abiertos.
The restaurants are open.
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vivir - ir + ido = vivido
The past participle can be combined with the verb “ser” to express the passive voice. Use
this construction when an action is being described, and introduce the doer of the action
with the word “por.”
La casa fue construida por los carpinteros.
The house was built by the carpenters.
Note that for -er and -ir verbs, if the stem ends in a vowel, a written accent will be
required.
creer ........................ creído
oír ............................ oído
NOTE: This rule does not apply, and no written accent is required for verbs ending in -uir. (construir, seguir,
influir, distinguir, etc.)
Let’s add two more flashcards for the past participles, since they will later be used for the
perfect tenses:
Verb Flashcards
90. Past Participle
Infinitive - ending + ado/ido
(hablado, comido, vivido)
91. Past Participle Irregulars
abrir (to open) ............................................. abierto (open)
cubrir (to cover) ........................................... cubierto (covered)
decir (to say) ............................................... dicho (said)
escribir (to write) ......................................... escrito (written)
freír (to fry).................................................. frito (fried)
hacer (to do) ............................................... hecho (done)
morir (to die) ............................................... muerto (dead)
poner (to put) ............................................. puesto (put)
resolver (to resolve) ..................................... resuelto (resolved)
romper (to break) ........................................ roto (broken)
ver (to see) .................................................. visto (seen)
volver (to return) ......................................... vuelto (returned)
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Copyright © 1997–2005 Spanish Learning Resources — All Rights Reserved. This page may be reproduced for non-profit educational purposes, provided it is reproduced in its entirety.
La tienda es abierta todos los días por el dueño.
The store is opened every day by the owner.