Aprire Conjugation in Italian
aprire means “to open” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Italian learners meet — it sits at number 68 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Italian verbs. It means to open a door, a window or a book, and it is regular in the present but irregular in the past participle: the participle is aperto, not a regular -ito form, so learn it as a pair with the infinitive. This page gives you the complete conjugation of aprire — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “Io apro la porta ogni giorno.” — “I open the door.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: aprire
- English: to open
- Verb type: Irregular -ire verb
- Irregular in: past-participle, present-perfect, pluperfect
- Gerund: aprendo
- Present participle: aprente
- Past participle: aperto
- Auxiliary: avere (all perfect tenses are formed with avere + the past participle)
- Ending: -ire verbs; pattern ire in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for aprire, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Learn the spelling of the forms first, and listen to a native speaker for the sounds rather than trusting an invented transcription. The forms below are the ones that matter: once you can read aprire in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about aprire
- It is irregular in 3 tense(s): past-participle, present-perfect, pluperfect. Learn those forms as a set instead of guessing them from the infinitive, because the stem changes in ways no rule predicts.
- The perfect tenses use avere: the passato prossimo is formed with avere in the present plus the past participle aperto. The tables on this page give the participle in the masculine singular form, exactly as it appears in the verified dump; agreement with the subject is a separate step that depends on the sentence, not on the verb table.
- The participles are aprente and aperto: keep both in mind as you read the tables, because the present participle appears as an adjective and the past participle appears in every perfect tense. If you know those two forms and the present tense, you already know the skeleton of the whole conjugation.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for aprire. Learn the present tense first, then the passato prossimo and the imperfect, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative (presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | apro |
| tu | apri |
| lui/lei | apre |
| noi | apriamo |
| voi | aprite |
| loro | aprono |
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Io apro la porta ogni giorno.” — “I open the door”
Passato remoto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | aprii |
| tu | apristi |
| lui/lei | aprì |
| noi | aprimmo |
| voi | apriste |
| loro | aprirono |
The passato remoto is used for completed actions in the distant past, mostly in written and literary Italian and in the south of Italy. For example: “Io aprii la porta ieri.” — “I opened the door”
Imperfect (imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | aprivo |
| tu | aprivi |
| lui/lei | apriva |
| noi | aprivamo |
| voi | aprivate |
| loro | aprivano |
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Io aprivo la porta una volta.” — “I used to open the door”
Future (futuro semplice)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | aprirò |
| tu | aprirai |
| lui/lei | aprirà |
| noi | apriremo |
| voi | aprirete |
| loro | apriranno |
The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. For example: “Io aprirò la porta domani.” — “I will open the door”
Conditional (condizionale)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | aprirei |
| tu | apriresti |
| lui/lei | aprirebbe |
| noi | apriremmo |
| voi | aprireste |
| loro | aprirebbero |
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Io aprirei la porta un giorno.” — “I would open the door”
Present perfect (passato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ho aperto |
| tu | hai aperto |
| lui/lei | ha aperto |
| noi | abbiamo aperto |
| voi | avete aperto |
| loro | hanno aperto |
The passato prossimo is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken Italian. For example: “Lui ha aperto la porta questa settimana.” — “He has opened the door”
Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avevo aperto |
| tu | avevi aperto |
| lui/lei | aveva aperto |
| noi | avevamo aperto |
| voi | avevate aperto |
| loro | avevano aperto |
The pluperfect is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Io avevo aperto la porta prima della festa.” — “I had opened the door”
Future perfect (futuro anteriore)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrò aperto |
| tu | avrai aperto |
| lui/lei | avrà aperto |
| noi | avremo aperto |
| voi | avrete aperto |
| loro | avranno aperto |
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Io avrò aperto la porta per domani.” — “I will have opened the door”
Conditional perfect (condizionale passato)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrei aperto |
| tu | avresti aperto |
| lui/lei | avrebbe aperto |
| noi | avremmo aperto |
| voi | avreste aperto |
| loro | avrebbero aperto |
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Io avrei aperto la porta ieri.” — “I would have opened the door”
Present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | apra |
| tu | apra |
| lui/lei | apra |
| noi | apriamo |
| voi | apriate |
| loro | aprano |
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after che. For example: “È importante che io apra la porta.” — “It is important that I open the door”
Imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | aprissi |
| tu | aprissi |
| lui/lei | aprisse |
| noi | aprissimo |
| voi | apriste |
| loro | aprissero |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after che, and in if-clauses. For example: “Era importante che io aprissi la porta.” — “It was important that I open the door”
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | apri |
| lui/lei | apra |
| noi | apriamo |
| voi | aprite |
| loro | aprano |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Apri la porta!” — “Open the door!”
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | aprire |
| lui/lei | apra |
| noi | apriamo |
| voi | apriate |
| loro | aprano |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Non aprire la porta.” — “Do not open the door.”
Gerund
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Gerund | aprendo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with stare for the progressive. For example: “Aprendo la porta, imparo molto.” — “While opening the door, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Present participle | aprente |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle aprente is used to describe something that is happening at the same time as the main action, much like an English -ing adjective.
Past participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Past participle | aperto |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Io ho aperto la porta questa settimana.” — “I have opened the door.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with aprire, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Italian and try to produce it from the English.
- “Io apro la porta ogni giorno.” — “I open the door”
- “Tu apristi la porta ieri.” — “You opened the door”
- “Lui apriva la porta una volta.” — “He used to open the door”
- “Io aprirò la porta domani.” — “I will open the door”
- “Tu apriresti la porta un giorno.” — “You would open the door”
- “Lui ha aperto la porta questa settimana.” — “He has opened the door”
- “Io avevo aperto la porta prima della festa.” — “I had opened the door”
- “Tu avrai aperto la porta per domani.” — “You will have opened the door”
- “È importante che io apra la porta.” — “It is important that I open the door”
- “Apri la porta!” — “Open the door!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Io aprire la porta.”
✓ Right: “Io apro la porta ogni giorno.”
The infinitive aprire never takes a subject. After io you need the conjugated present form apro.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Io apri la porta.”
✓ Right: “Io apro la porta ogni giorno.”
apri is the tu form, not the io form. Match the verb to the subject every time: io goes with apro.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Io apro la porta ieri.”
✓ Right: “Io ho aperto la porta questa settimana.”
Yesterday points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the passato prossimo ho aperto for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passato prossimo
✗ Wrong: “Io sono aperto la porta.”
✓ Right: “Io ho aperto la porta questa settimana.”
The passato prossimo of aprire is formed with avere plus the past participle aperto: the io form is ho aperto. Check the auxiliary in the table above before you build a perfect tense.
5. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “È importante che io apro la porta.”
✓ Right: “È importante che io apra la porta.”
After è importante che Italian needs the subjunctive, so use apra here, not the indicative apro.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Io ho aprendo la porta.”
✓ Right: “Io ho aperto la porta questa settimana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle aperto, not the gerund aprendo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on aprire. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the io form of aprire in the Present indicative?
- A) apri
- B) apro
- C) apre
- D) apriamo
What is the lui/lei form of aprire in the Passato remoto?
- A) aprii
- B) apristi
- C) aprì
- D) aprimmo
What is the noi form of aprire in the Imperfect?
- A) aprivo
- B) aprivi
- C) apriva
- D) aprivamo
What is the tu form of aprire in the Future?
- A) aprirai
- B) aprirò
- C) aprirà
- D) apriremo
What is the io form of aprire in the Conditional?
- A) apriresti
- B) aprirei
- C) aprirebbe
- D) apriremmo
What is the lui/lei form of aprire in the Present perfect (passato prossimo)?
- A) ho aperto
- B) hai aperto
- C) ha aperto
- D) abbiamo aperto
What is the lui/lei form of aprire in the Present subjunctive?
- A) apriamo
- B) apriate
- C) aprano
- D) apra
What is the io form of aprire in the Imperfect subjunctive?
- A) aprissi
- B) aprisse
- C) aprissimo
- D) apriste
What is the gerund of aprire?
- A) aperto
- B) aprendo
- C) aprire
- D) apro
What does aprire mean in English?
- A) to sit down
- B) to get dressed
- C) to open
- D) to call
Answer key
- B) apro — the correct form is apro. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) aprì — the correct form is aprì. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) aprivamo — the correct form is aprivamo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) aprirai — the correct form is aprirai. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) aprirei — the correct form is aprirei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) ha aperto — the correct form is ha aperto. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) apra — the correct form is apra. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) aprissi — the correct form is aprissi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) aprendo — the correct form is aprendo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to open — the correct form is to open. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does aprire mean in English?
aprire means “to open”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is aprire regular or irregular?
aprire is irregular: it is irregular in past-participle, present-perfect, pluperfect. The gerund is aprendo and the past participle is aperto.
What are the gerund and past participle of aprire?
The gerund is aprendo — use it with stare for the progressive. The past participle is aperto — use it with avere for the perfect tenses, as in ho aperto.
Which auxiliary does aprire take in the passato prossimo?
aprire takes avere in the passato prossimo: the io form is ho aperto. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with avere plus the past participle aperto.
How do I say “I open” in Italian?
Say “Io apro la porta ogni giorno.” — “I open the door” The io form of the present is apro, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of aprire — every tense of aprire in one place.
- Aprire in the passato prossimo tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Aprire examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Italian passato prossimo tense guide — the full guide to the passato prossimo tense in Italian.
- Italian irregular verbs — every common irregular Italian verb, grouped by pattern.
- Vestirsi conjugation — another everyday Italian verb.
- Seguire conjugation — another everyday Italian verb.
- Italian verbs — the full hub of Italian conjugation pages.
- VerbFlow home — all languages, tools and verb lists.
- Verb Conjugator — practise aprire with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise aprire with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise aprire with the interactive tool.