Spanish Past Participles: Forms, Irregulars, and How to Use Them
Spanish past participles are formed by replacing the infinitive ending: -ar → -ado (hablado), -er → -ido (comido), -ir → -ido (vivido). They serve two functions: building compound tenses with haber ('he hablado' = I have spoken) and acting as adjectives that agree in gender and number ('una puerta cerrada' = a closed door). About 14 high-frequency verbs have irregular past participles you must memorize: abierto, dicho, escrito, hecho, puesto, visto, vuelto, and others.
How to form the past participle
Regular -AR verbs: drop -ar, add -ado (hablar → hablado). Regular -ER and -IR verbs: drop the ending, add -ido (comer → comido, vivir → vivido). When used as an adjective, the past participle agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies (cerrado/cerrada/cerrados/cerradas). When used with haber in compound tenses, it is invariable.
| Infinitive | Past Participle | Compound use | Adjective use |
|---|---|---|---|
| hablar (to speak) | hablado | he hablado (I have spoken) | — |
| comer (to eat) | comido | ha comido (he has eaten) | una manzana comida |
| vivir (to live) | vivido | hemos vivido (we have lived) | — |
| cerrar (to close) | cerrado | han cerrado (they have closed) | la puerta cerrada |
| pintar (to paint) | pintado | has pintado | una casa pintada |
Two functions of the past participle
- Compound tenses with haber: pretérito perfecto (he hablado), pluscuamperfecto (había hablado), futuro perfecto (habré hablado), condicional perfecto (habría hablado), and all the perfect subjunctive forms.
- Adjective: 'una ventana abierta' (an open window). Agrees with the noun in gender and number.
- Passive voice with ser: 'El libro fue escrito por ella.' (The book was written by her.)
- Estar + past participle for resulting state: 'La puerta está cerrada.' (The door is closed.)
14 essential irregular past participles
| Person / verb | Form | Example (Spanish) | Translation (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| abrir | abierto | He abierto la puerta. | I have opened the door. |
| cubrir | cubierto | El cielo está cubierto. | The sky is covered. |
| decir | dicho | ¿Has dicho la verdad? | Have you told the truth? |
| escribir | escrito | Ha escrito un libro. | He has written a book. |
| freír | frito | He frito los huevos. | I have fried the eggs. |
| hacer | hecho | ¿Qué has hecho hoy? | What have you done today? |
| imprimir | impreso | He impreso el contrato. | I have printed the contract. |
| morir | muerto | El árbol ha muerto. | The tree has died. |
| poner | puesto | He puesto la mesa. | I have set the table. |
| resolver | resuelto | Hemos resuelto el problema. | We have solved the problem. |
| romper | roto | Has roto el plato. | You have broken the plate. |
| ver | visto | Han visto la película. | They have seen the movie. |
| volver | vuelto | Ha vuelto a casa. | He has returned home. |
| satisfacer | satisfecho | Estoy satisfecho. | I am satisfied. |
Common mistakes
Agreement only when adjective
With haber: 'la casa que he comprado' (invariable). As adjective: 'la casa comprada' (agrees feminine singular).
Two participles for some verbs
Some verbs have a regular and irregular form: imprimir → imprimido (compound) vs impreso (adjective). The regular form is preferred with haber.
Don't translate 'I have to' with haber + participle
'I have to do' is 'tengo que hacer'. Haber + participle expresses 'I have done' — completed past, not obligation.
Past Participles — frequently asked
- How do you form the past participle in Spanish?
- For regular -AR verbs, replace -ar with -ado (hablado). For -ER and -IR verbs, replace the ending with -ido (comido, vivido). About 14 common verbs have irregular past participles like abierto, dicho, hecho, escrito, visto, puesto, vuelto.
- What are the most common irregular past participles in Spanish?
- abierto (abrir), cubierto (cubrir), dicho (decir), escrito (escribir), frito (freír), hecho (hacer), impreso (imprimir), muerto (morir), puesto (poner), resuelto (resolver), roto (romper), satisfecho (satisfacer), visto (ver), vuelto (volver).
- When does the past participle agree with the noun?
- When it acts as an adjective. 'La puerta cerrada' (feminine singular). 'Los libros leídos' (masculine plural). When it's used with haber in a compound tense, it stays invariable: 'ha cerrado la puerta', 'has leído los libros'.
- What is the past participle of abrir?
- Abierto. It's irregular and used both in compound tenses ('he abierto la ventana') and as an adjective ('una ventana abierta').
- What is the past participle of ser and ir?
- Both have regular past participles: ser → sido, ir → ido. These appear in compound tenses like 'he sido' (I have been) and 'he ido' (I have gone).
Keep going
Continue with the directly related tense, verb, and comparison pages.