Common English irregular verbs

In English, regular verbs consist of three main parts:

a. the root form (present),
b. the (simple) past,
c. and the past participle.

Regular verbs have an -ed ending added to the root verb for both the simple past
and past participle. Irregular verbs do not follow this pattern, and instead take on
an alternative pattern.

The following is a partial list of irregular verbs found in English (only 163 out of
around 370).
Each listing verb consists of the present/root form of the verb, the (simple) past form
of the verb, and the past participle form of the verb.

Bare Past Italian meaning

Simple Past
Infinitive Participle
arise arose arisen Sorgere
awake awoke awoken Svegliare, svegliarsi
be was/were been Essere
bear bore borne Portare, sopportare
bear bore born Generare
beat beat beaten Battere
become became become Diventare
begin began begun Cominciare
bend bent bent Piegare, piegarsi
bet bet bet Scommettere
bind bound bound Legare, rilegare
bite bit bitten Mordere
bleed bled bled Sanguinare
blow blew blown Soffiare
break broke broken Rompere
breed bred bred Allevare, generare
bring brought brought Portare
broadcast broadcast broadcast Trasmettere (radio, tv)
build built built Costruire
burn burnt burnt bruciare
burst burst burst Scoppiare
buy bought bought Comprare

1
cast cast cast Gettare, fondere
catch caught caught Prendere, acchiappare
choose chose chosen Scegliere
cling clung clung Aggrapparsi, attaccarsi
come came come Venire
cost cost cost Costare
creep crept crept Strisciare
cut cut cut Tagliare
deal dealt dealt Trattare
dig dug dug Scavare
do did done Fare
draw drew drawn Disegnare, tirare
dream dreamt dreamt Sognare
drink drank drunk Bere
drive drove driven Guidare
eat ate eaten Mangiare
fall fell fallen Cadere
feed fed fed Nutrire
feel felt felt Sentire, sentirsi
fight fought fought Combattere
find found found Trovare
flee fled fled Fuggire
fling flung flung scagliare
fly flew flown Volare
forbid forbade forbidden Proibire
forecast forecast forecast Prevedere, predire
forget forgot forgotten Dimenticare
forgive forgave forgiven Perdonare
forsake forsook forsaken abbandonare
freeze froze frozen Gelare, congelare
get got got Ottenere, diventare
give gave given Dare
go went gone Andare
grind ground ground Macinare, tritare
grow grew grown Crescere, coltivare
hang hung hung appendere
have had had Avere
hear heard heard Udire
hide hid hidden Nascondere
hit hit hit Colpire
hold held held Tenere, trattenere
hurt hurt hurt Ferire, farsi male
2
keep kept kept Tenere, conservare
kneel knelt knelt Inginocchiarsi
knit knit knit Lavorare a maglia
know knew known Conoscere, sapere
lay laid laid Deporre, posare
lead led led Condurre, guidare
lean leant leant Appoggiare, appoggiarsi
leap leapt leapt Saltare
learn learnt learnt Imparare
leave left left Partire, lasciare
lend lent lent Prestare
let let let Lasciare, permettere
lie lay lain Giacere, trovarsi
light lit lit Accendere, illumunare
lose lost lost perdere
make made made Fare
mean meant meant Significare, intendere
meet met met Incontrare, conoscere
mistake mistook mistaken Fraintendere, sbagliare
mow mowed mown Falciare
overcome overcame overcome Superare
Mangiare (bere) un po’ di/
partake partook partaken
partecipare a
pay paid paid Pagare
put put put Mettere
read read read Leggere
rid rid rid Sbarazzare, liberarsi
ride rode ridden Cavalcare, montare
ring rang rung Suonare, squillare
rise rose risen Sorgere, alzarsi
run ran run Correre
say said said Dire
see saw seen Vedere
seek sought sought Cercare
sell sold sold Vendere
send sent sent Mandare, spedire
set set set Porre, tramontare
sew sowed sown Cucire
shake shook shaken Scuotere, agitare, tremare
shed shed shed Spargere
shine shone shone Splendere, brillare
shoe shod shod Ferrare
3
 Sparare, germogliare, girare
shoot shot shot
(film)
show showed shown Mostrare
shrink shrank or shrunk shrunk Restringere
shut shut shut Chiudere
sing sang sung Cantare
sink sank sunk Affondare, sprofondare
sit sat sat Sedersi
slay slew slain Trucidare
sleep slept slept Dormire
slide slid slid Scivolare, scorrere
sling slung slung Scagliare, lanciare
Entrare furtivamente,
slink slunk slunk
svignarsela
slit slit slit Fare un taglio in
smell smelt smelt Odorare, avere odore
sow sowed sown Seminare
speak spoke spoken Parlare
speed sped sped Affrettare, accelerare
spell spelt spelt Compitare
spend spent spent Spendere, trascorrere
spill spilt spilt Versare, spandere
spin span or spun spun Fare girare, lanciare in aria
spit spit or spat spat sputare
split split split Spaccare, dividere/rsi
spoil spoilt spoilt Viziare, rovinare, sciupare
spread spread spread Diffondere/rsi, stendere
spring sprang sprung Saltare, scaturire, scattare
stand stood stood Stare in piendi
steal stole stolen Rubare
stick stuck stuck Attaccare/rsi, incollare
sting stung stung Pungere (di insetti)
stink stank stunk Puzzare
stride strode strode Camminare a lunghi passi
strike struck Struck/stricken Colpire, battere
Incordare, mettere uno spago,
string strung strung
legare (con corda)
strive strove striven Lottare, sforzarsi
swear swore sworn Giurare, bestemmiare
sweep swept swept Scopare, spazzare
swell swelled swollen Gonfiare/rsi
swim swam swum Nuotare

4
swing swung swung Oscillare, dondolare
take took taken Prendere, portare
teach taught taught Insegnare
tear tore torn Strappare, lacerare
tell told told Dire, raccontare
think thought thought Pensare
thrive throve thriven Crescere, prosperare
throw threw thrown Gettare, buttare
thrust thrust thrust Conficcare
tread trod trodden Calpestare, pestare
understand understood understood Capire, comprendere
wake woke woken Svegliare/rsi
Indossare, portare,
wear wore worn
logorare/rsi
weave wove woven Tessere
weep wept wept Piangere
win won won Vincere
wind wound wound Avvolgere, serpeggiare
wring wrung wrung Torcere
write wrote written Scrivere