Chapter 16 - The Formation of Compound Verbs
The formation of compound verbs ( have spoken, had spoken, will have spoken, and so on) is the same as in English, namely the use an auxiliary verb (to be or to have), and the past form of the main verb. This usage is the same as it is in English. In common speech, the translation of these forms into English is often the simple past tense, especially when a past action relates to something happening now.
1. The forms of the verb avere(to have)
I spoke, have spoken | Io ho parlato |
You spoke, have spoken | Tu hai parlato |
You, he, she, who spoke, has spoken | Lei, lui, lei, chi ha parlato |
We spoke, have spoken | Noi abbiamo parlato |
You spoke, have spoken | Voi avẹte parlato |
They, chi spoke, have spoken | Loro hanno parlato |
I spoke, have spoken | Io aveẹvo parlato |
You spoke, have spoken | Tu avẹvi parlato |
He, she, who spoke, has spoken | Lei, lui, chi avẹva parlato |
We spoke, have spoken | Noi avevamo parlato |
You spoke, have spoken | Voi avevate parlato |
They, chi spoke, have spoken | Loro, chi avẹvano parlato |
I spoke, have spoken | Io avrò venduto |
You spoke, have spoken | Tu avrai venduto |
He, she, who spoke, has spoken | Lei, lui, chi avrà venduto |
We spoke, have spoken | Noi avrẹmo venduto |
You spoke, have spoken | Voi avrẹte venduto |
They, chi spoke, have spoken | Loro, chi avranno venduto |
I spoke, have spoken | Io avrẹi finito |
You spoke, have spoken | Tu avrẹsti finito |
He, she, who spoke, has spoken | Lei, lui, chi avrebbe finito |
We spoke, have spoken | Noi avrẹmmo finito |
You spoke, have spoken | Voi avrẹste finito |
They, chi spoke, have spoken | Loro chi avrębbero finito |
Pronunciation note : The past verb forms are all stressed on the second to last vowel.
The compound forms of most verbs is made by using avere, but some compound forms are made by using ęssere.
The following is a list of those verbs. Compound verbs (muovere :: rimuovere) also use ęssere.
accadere, to happen | accagliare, to curdle | accẹdere, to accede |
albeggiare, to dawn | ammalare, to fall ill | ammatire, to become or go crazy |
ammontare, to mount up, amount | ammuffire, to become moldy | |
ammutolire, to become dumbfounded | andare, to go | |
annegare, to drown | annottare, to become night | apparire, to seem, to appear |
appartenere, to belong | appassire, to wither, wilt | appoggiare, to lean, lay, rest |
approdare, to come to a decision | ạrdere, to burn | arenare, to run aground |
arrabbiare, to become angry | arrivare, to arrive | arrosire, to blush |
arrostire, to roast | arruginire, to rust | arruvidire, to roughen |
asfissiare, to become asphyxiated | assommare, to amount to | aumentare, to increase, augment |
avanzare, to advance | avvenire, to happen | avvizzire, to wither |
bacare, to become corrupt, bad | balenare, to flash | baluginare, to glimmer, blink |
balzare, to bounce | bạttere, to beat | brinare, to frost, have frost |
bruciare, to burn | ||
cadere, to fall | cagliare, to curdle | calare, to fall (said of prices) |
cambiare, to change | capitare, to turn out, result | cascare, to cascade, to fall |
comparire, to appear | convenire, to be convenient | cọrrere, to run |
costare, to cost | costumare, to be the custom | crẹscere, to grow |
decadere, to decline | decẹdere, to die, to be deceased | decọrrere, to run out of time |
decrẹscere, to decrease | defluire, to flow out | deperire, to become run down |
dimagrire, to lose weight | diminuire, to diminish | dipẹndere, to depend |
divampare, to burst into flames | disconvenire, to disagree | discordare, to differ in opinon |
dispiacere, to displease | divenire, to become | diventare, to become |
divertire, to divert, amuse, enjoy | durare, to last, endure | durire, to harden |
eccẹllere, to excel | emẹrgere, to emerge | entrare, to enter |
esịstere, to exist | esplǫdere, to explode | ęssere, to be |
fiocare, to fall (like snow) | fiorire, to flower, to bloom | fuggire, to flee |
garbare, to be suitable | gelare, to gel, set, become solid | ghiacciare, to freeze |
giacere, to lie, to rest | giụngere, to join | |
imbizzire, to get angry | imbrunire, to get dark | imbruttire, to grow ugly |
immigrare, to immigrate | impazientire, to become impatient | impazzare, to become or go crazy |
impietrire, to turn to stone | imputridire, to become rotten | inasinare, to become stupid |
incallire, to become callous | incanutire, to become gray haired | incaparbire, to become obstinate |
incappare, to stumble | incarnire, to grow in | incọmbere, to be incumbent |
incominciare, to begin | incontrare, to meet | incọrrere, to incur |
incretinire, to lose one's mind | incrudelire, to become cruel | indebolire, to weaken |
ingiallire, to become, turn yellow | inscurire, to make obscure | insecchire, to become dry, dry up |
insọrgere, to revolt, become insurgent | intervenire, to intervene | intorbidire, to muddy |
intristire, to wither from saddness | invalere, to prevail | invecchiare, to become, grow old |
irrọmpere, to break, burst into | ||
marcire, to become overripe | migliorare, to improve, get better | morire, to die |
muffire, to be musty | muǫvere, to move | |
nạscere, to be born | naufragare, to become shipwrecked | nevicare, to snow |
occọrrere, to occur, to be necessary | ||
parere, to seem | partire, to leave | passare, to pass by or through |
peggiorare, to worsen, to get worse | permanere, to be permanent | pervenire, to reach, to get through |
piacere, to like, to please | piǫvere, to rain | preesịstere, to preexist |
prẹmere, to be urgent | premorire, to predecease | putrefare, to putrify |
rabbrividire, to shudder, shiver | radoppiare, to double one’s efforts | regredire, to regress |
restare, to have left | riandare, to go back | ricadere, to relapse, fall again |
riapparire, to reappear | ricadere, to fall back, relapse | ricominciare, to recommence |
ricomparire, to reappear | ricrẹscere, to regrow | ridivenire, to become again |
riemẹrgere, to reemerge | rientrare, to reenter | rięssere, to become again |
rimanere, to remain | rimbambire, to become feeble minded by age | |
rinạscere, to be reborn | rincitrullire, to become stupid | rincrẹscere, to regret |
rincrudire, to get worse | rindurire, to reharden | risavire, to come to one’s senses |
rinsecchire, to dry up again | rinvenire, to revive | riparare, to take refuge |
ripartire, to leave again | risultare, to result | riuscire, to succeed |
salire, to leave | sbalzare, to spring, to leap | sbucare, to pop out |
scadere, to fall or become due | scappare, to escape | scivolare, to slip |
scomparire, to disappear | sconvenire, to be unbecoming | scopiare, to burst |
scẹndere, to descend | sedere, to sit | sembrare, to seem |
sfuggire, to run away | sfumare, to merge into | smagrire, to become thin |
soggiacere, to subject, be subject | solere, to be in the habit of | sopravvịvere, to survive |
sǫrgere, to rise | sottostare, to be under someone in rank | |
sovvenire, to help | sparire, to disappear | spegnere, to put out |
spettare, to be due, to owe | spiacere, to be sorry | spiǫvere, to stop raining |
spirare, to expire | spǫrgere, to protrude | spronfọndere, to throw down |
stare, to be | stillare, to ooze, trickle | stịngere, to remove color, to fade |
straboccare, to overflow | stramazzare, to drop like a stone | strapiombare, to tilt, lean |
straripare, to overflow | subissare, to collapse | sublimare, to sublimate |
subentrare, to follow, come after | succẹdere, to succeed, happen | sussịtere, to subsist |
svampire, to die down | svanire, to vanish | svaporare, to evaporate |
svenire, to faint | svignare, to high tail it | |
talentare, to do what you like | terminare, to terminate, finish | toccare, to touch, to play music |
tombolare, to tumble | tornare, to turn, return, go back | trabocare, to overflow |
tracollare, to lose one’s balance | tralignare, to degenerate | tramontare, to set, fade, wane |
transitare, to pass, go, drive, walk through | trapelare, to leak | trascolorare, to discolor |
trasecolare, to astonish | trascorrere, to spend time | trasmigrare, to transmigrate |
traspirare, to transpire | trasudare, to ooze, seep | trasumanare, to become superhuman |
trasvolare, to fly across | ||
uscire, to go out | ||
valere, to be worth | venire, to come | vịvere, to live |
Approximately 150 compound verbs may be formed by using either avereor ęssere. This author treats such verbs as using avereto make the compound forms.
NOTE: When a verb is used reflexively, all past tenses are formed using ęssere as the auxiliary verb. There are no exceptions to this rule.