Arrivare Conjugation in Italian
arrivare means “to arrive” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Italian learners meet — it sits at number 57 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Italian verbs. It means to arrive somewhere, and it takes essere in the passato prossimo. It is completely regular, and it is one of the first verbs of movement learners meet. This page gives you the complete conjugation of arrivare — 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 arrivo a Roma ogni giorno.” — “I arrive in Rome.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: arrivare
- English: to arrive
- Verb type: Regular -are verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: arrivando
- Present participle: arrivante
- Past participle: arrivato
- Auxiliary: essere (all perfect tenses are formed with essere + the past participle)
- Ending: -are verbs; pattern are in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for arrivare, 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 arrivare in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about arrivare
- It is regular: every form follows the ordinary -are pattern, so once you know the stem you can build the whole table. The only work is learning the endings, not memorising exceptions.
- The perfect tenses use essere: the passato prossimo is formed with essere in the present plus the past participle arrivato. 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 arrivante and arrivato: 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 arrivare. 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 | arrivo |
| tu | arrivi |
| lui/lei | arriva |
| noi | arriviamo |
| voi | arrivate |
| loro | arrivano |
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Io arrivo a Roma ogni giorno.” — “I arrive in Rome”
Passato remoto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | arrivai |
| tu | arrivasti |
| lui/lei | arrivò |
| noi | arrivammo |
| voi | arrivaste |
| loro | arrivarono |
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 arrivai a Roma ieri.” — “I arrived in Rome”
Imperfect (imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | arrivavo |
| tu | arrivavi |
| lui/lei | arrivava |
| noi | arrivavamo |
| voi | arrivavate |
| loro | arrivavano |
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Io arrivavo a Roma una volta.” — “I used to arrive in Rome”
Future (futuro semplice)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | arriverò |
| tu | arriverai |
| lui/lei | arriverà |
| noi | arriveremo |
| voi | arriverete |
| loro | arriveranno |
The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. For example: “Io arriverò a Roma domani.” — “I will arrive in Rome”
Conditional (condizionale)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | arriverei |
| tu | arriveresti |
| lui/lei | arriverebbe |
| noi | arriveremmo |
| voi | arrivereste |
| loro | arriverebbero |
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Io arriverei a Roma un giorno.” — “I would arrive in Rome”
Present perfect (passato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | sono arrivato |
| tu | sei arrivato |
| lui/lei | è arrivato |
| noi | siamo arrivato |
| voi | siete arrivato |
| loro | sono arrivato |
The passato prossimo is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken Italian. For example: “Lui è arrivato a Roma questa settimana.” — “He has arrived in Rome”
Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ero arrivato |
| tu | eri arrivato |
| lui/lei | era arrivato |
| noi | eravamo arrivato |
| voi | eravate arrivato |
| loro | erano arrivato |
The pluperfect is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Io ero arrivato a Roma prima della festa.” — “I had arrived in Rome”
Future perfect (futuro anteriore)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | sarò arrivato |
| tu | sarai arrivato |
| lui/lei | sarà arrivato |
| noi | saremo arrivato |
| voi | sarete arrivato |
| loro | saranno arrivato |
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Io sarò arrivato a Roma per domani.” — “I will have arrived in Rome”
Conditional perfect (condizionale passato)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | sarei arrivato |
| tu | saresti arrivato |
| lui/lei | sarebbe arrivato |
| noi | saremmo arrivato |
| voi | sareste arrivato |
| loro | sarebbero arrivato |
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Io sarei arrivato a Roma ieri.” — “I would have arrived in Rome”
Present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | arrivi |
| tu | arrivi |
| lui/lei | arrivi |
| noi | arriviamo |
| voi | arriviate |
| loro | arrivino |
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after che. For example: “È importante che io arrivi a Roma.” — “It is important that I arrive in Rome”
Imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | arrivassi |
| tu | arrivassi |
| lui/lei | arrivasse |
| noi | arrivassimo |
| voi | arrivaste |
| loro | arrivassero |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after che, and in if-clauses. For example: “Era importante che io arrivassi a Roma.” — “It was important that I arrive in Rome”
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | arriva |
| lui/lei | arrivi |
| noi | arriviamo |
| voi | arrivate |
| loro | arrivino |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Arriva a Roma!” — “Arrive in Rome!”
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | arrivare |
| lui/lei | arrivi |
| noi | arriviamo |
| voi | arriviate |
| loro | arrivino |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Non arrivare a Roma.” — “Do not arrive in Rome.”
Gerund
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Gerund | arrivando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with stare for the progressive. For example: “Arrivando a Roma, imparo molto.” — “While arriving in Rome, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Present participle | arrivante |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle arrivante 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 | arrivato |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Io sono arrivato a Roma questa settimana.” — “I have arrived in Rome.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with arrivare, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Italian and try to produce it from the English.
- “Io arrivo a Roma ogni giorno.” — “I arrive in Rome”
- “Tu arrivasti a Roma ieri.” — “You arrived in Rome”
- “Lui arrivava a Roma una volta.” — “He used to arrive in Rome”
- “Io arriverò a Roma domani.” — “I will arrive in Rome”
- “Tu arriveresti a Roma un giorno.” — “You would arrive in Rome”
- “Lui è arrivato a Roma questa settimana.” — “He has arrived in Rome”
- “Io ero arrivato a Roma prima della festa.” — “I had arrived in Rome”
- “Tu sarai arrivato a Roma per domani.” — “You will have arrived in Rome”
- “È importante che io arrivi a Roma.” — “It is important that I arrive in Rome”
- “Arriva a Roma!” — “Arrive in Rome!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Io arrivare a Roma.”
✓ Right: “Io arrivo a Roma ogni giorno.”
The infinitive arrivare never takes a subject. After io you need the conjugated present form arrivo.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Io arrivi a Roma.”
✓ Right: “Io arrivo a Roma ogni giorno.”
arrivi is the tu form, not the io form. Match the verb to the subject every time: io goes with arrivo.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Io arrivo a Roma ieri.”
✓ Right: “Io sono arrivato a Roma questa settimana.”
Yesterday points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the passato prossimo sono arrivato for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passato prossimo
✗ Wrong: “Io ho arrivato a Roma.”
✓ Right: “Io sono arrivato a Roma questa settimana.”
The passato prossimo of arrivare is formed with essere plus the past participle arrivato: the io form is sono arrivato. 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 arrivo a Roma.”
✓ Right: “È importante che io arrivi a Roma.”
After è importante che Italian needs the subjunctive, so use arrivi here, not the indicative arrivo.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Io sono arrivando a Roma.”
✓ Right: “Io sono arrivato a Roma questa settimana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle arrivato, not the gerund arrivando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on arrivare. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the io form of arrivare in the Present indicative?
- A) arrivi
- B) arrivo
- C) arriva
- D) arriviamo
What is the lui/lei form of arrivare in the Passato remoto?
- A) arrivai
- B) arrivasti
- C) arrivò
- D) arrivammo
What is the noi form of arrivare in the Imperfect?
- A) arrivavo
- B) arrivavi
- C) arrivava
- D) arrivavamo
What is the tu form of arrivare in the Future?
- A) arriverai
- B) arriverò
- C) arriverà
- D) arriveremo
What is the io form of arrivare in the Conditional?
- A) arriveresti
- B) arriverei
- C) arriverebbe
- D) arriveremmo
What is the lui/lei form of arrivare in the Present perfect (passato prossimo)?
- A) sono arrivato
- B) sei arrivato
- C) è arrivato
- D) siamo arrivato
What is the lui/lei form of arrivare in the Present subjunctive?
- A) arriviamo
- B) arriviate
- C) arrivino
- D) arrivi
What is the io form of arrivare in the Imperfect subjunctive?
- A) arrivassi
- B) arrivasse
- C) arrivassimo
- D) arrivaste
What is the gerund of arrivare?
- A) arrivato
- B) arrivando
- C) arrivare
- D) arrivo
What does arrivare mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to have
- C) to arrive
- D) to do, to make
Answer key
- B) arrivo — the correct form is arrivo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) arrivò — the correct form is arrivò. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) arrivavamo — the correct form is arrivavamo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) arriverai — the correct form is arriverai. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) arriverei — the correct form is arriverei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) è arrivato — the correct form is è arrivato. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) arrivi — the correct form is arrivi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) arrivassi — the correct form is arrivassi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) arrivando — the correct form is arrivando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to arrive — the correct form is to arrive. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does arrivare mean in English?
arrivare means “to arrive”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is arrivare regular or irregular?
arrivare is regular: it follows the ordinary -are pattern in every tense. The gerund is arrivando and the past participle is arrivato.
What are the gerund and past participle of arrivare?
The gerund is arrivando — use it with stare for the progressive. The past participle is arrivato — use it with essere for the perfect tenses, as in sono arrivato.
Which auxiliary does arrivare take in the passato prossimo?
arrivare takes essere in the passato prossimo: the io form is sono arrivato. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with essere plus the past participle arrivato.
How do I say “I arrive” in Italian?
Say “Io arrivo a Roma ogni giorno.” — “I arrive in Rome” The io form of the present is arrivo, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of arrivare — every tense of arrivare in one place.
- Arrivare in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Arrivare examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Italian present tense guide — the full guide to the present tense in Italian.
- Fare conjugation — another everyday Italian verb.
- Andare 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 arrivare with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise arrivare with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise arrivare with the interactive tool.