Ascoltare Conjugation in Italian
ascoltare means “to listen” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Italian learners meet — it sits at number 28 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Italian verbs. It is the verb for listening to music, to a person or to a lesson, and it is completely regular in every tense. Do not confuse it with sentire, which means to hear or to feel: ascoltare is the deliberate act of paying attention with your ears. This page gives you the complete conjugation of ascoltare — 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 ascolto la musica ogni giorno.” — “I listen to the music.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: ascoltare
- English: to listen
- Verb type: Regular -are verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: ascoltando
- Present participle: ascoltante
- Past participle: ascoltato
- Auxiliary: avere (all perfect tenses are formed with avere + 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 ascoltare, 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 ascoltare in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about ascoltare
- 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 avere: the passato prossimo is formed with avere in the present plus the past participle ascoltato. 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 ascoltante and ascoltato: 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 ascoltare. 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 | ascolto |
| tu | ascolti |
| lui/lei | ascolta |
| noi | ascoltiamo |
| voi | ascoltate |
| loro | ascoltano |
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Io ascolto la musica ogni giorno.” — “I listen to the music”
Passato remoto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ascoltai |
| tu | ascoltasti |
| lui/lei | ascoltò |
| noi | ascoltammo |
| voi | ascoltaste |
| loro | ascoltarono |
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 ascoltai la musica ieri.” — “I listened to the music”
Imperfect (imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ascoltavo |
| tu | ascoltavi |
| lui/lei | ascoltava |
| noi | ascoltavamo |
| voi | ascoltavate |
| loro | ascoltavano |
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Io ascoltavo la musica una volta.” — “I used to listen to the music”
Future (futuro semplice)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ascolterò |
| tu | ascolterai |
| lui/lei | ascolterà |
| noi | ascolteremo |
| voi | ascolterete |
| loro | ascolteranno |
The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. For example: “Io ascolterò la musica domani.” — “I will listen to the music”
Conditional (condizionale)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ascolterei |
| tu | ascolteresti |
| lui/lei | ascolterebbe |
| noi | ascolteremmo |
| voi | ascoltereste |
| loro | ascolterebbero |
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Io ascolterei la musica un giorno.” — “I would listen to the music”
Present perfect (passato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ho ascoltato |
| tu | hai ascoltato |
| lui/lei | ha ascoltato |
| noi | abbiamo ascoltato |
| voi | avete ascoltato |
| loro | hanno ascoltato |
The passato prossimo is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken Italian. For example: “Lui ha ascoltato la musica questa settimana.” — “He has listened to the music”
Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avevo ascoltato |
| tu | avevi ascoltato |
| lui/lei | aveva ascoltato |
| noi | avevamo ascoltato |
| voi | avevate ascoltato |
| loro | avevano ascoltato |
The pluperfect is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Io avevo ascoltato la musica prima della festa.” — “I had listened to the music”
Future perfect (futuro anteriore)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrò ascoltato |
| tu | avrai ascoltato |
| lui/lei | avrà ascoltato |
| noi | avremo ascoltato |
| voi | avrete ascoltato |
| loro | avranno ascoltato |
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Io avrò ascoltato la musica per domani.” — “I will have listened to the music”
Conditional perfect (condizionale passato)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrei ascoltato |
| tu | avresti ascoltato |
| lui/lei | avrebbe ascoltato |
| noi | avremmo ascoltato |
| voi | avreste ascoltato |
| loro | avrebbero ascoltato |
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Io avrei ascoltato la musica ieri.” — “I would have listened to the music”
Present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ascolti |
| tu | ascolti |
| lui/lei | ascolti |
| noi | ascoltiamo |
| voi | ascoltiate |
| loro | ascoltino |
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after che. For example: “È importante che io ascolti la musica.” — “It is important that I listen to the music”
Imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ascoltassi |
| tu | ascoltassi |
| lui/lei | ascoltasse |
| noi | ascoltassimo |
| voi | ascoltaste |
| loro | ascoltassero |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after che, and in if-clauses. For example: “Era importante che io ascoltassi la musica.” — “It was important that I listen to the music”
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | ascolta |
| lui/lei | ascolti |
| noi | ascoltiamo |
| voi | ascoltate |
| loro | ascoltino |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Ascolta la musica!” — “Listen to the music!”
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | ascoltare |
| lui/lei | ascolti |
| noi | ascoltiamo |
| voi | ascoltiate |
| loro | ascoltino |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Non ascoltare la musica.” — “Do not listen to the music.”
Gerund
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Gerund | ascoltando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with stare for the progressive. For example: “Ascoltando la musica, imparo molto.” — “While listening to the music, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Present participle | ascoltante |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle ascoltante 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 | ascoltato |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Io ho ascoltato la musica questa settimana.” — “I have listened to the music.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with ascoltare, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Italian and try to produce it from the English.
- “Io ascolto la musica ogni giorno.” — “I listen to the music”
- “Tu ascoltasti la musica ieri.” — “You listened to the music”
- “Lui ascoltava la musica una volta.” — “He used to listen to the music”
- “Io ascolterò la musica domani.” — “I will listen to the music”
- “Tu ascolteresti la musica un giorno.” — “You would listen to the music”
- “Lui ha ascoltato la musica questa settimana.” — “He has listened to the music”
- “Io avevo ascoltato la musica prima della festa.” — “I had listened to the music”
- “Tu avrai ascoltato la musica per domani.” — “You will have listened to the music”
- “È importante che io ascolti la musica.” — “It is important that I listen to the music”
- “Ascolta la musica!” — “Listen to the music!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Io ascoltare la musica.”
✓ Right: “Io ascolto la musica ogni giorno.”
The infinitive ascoltare never takes a subject. After io you need the conjugated present form ascolto.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Io ascolti la musica.”
✓ Right: “Io ascolto la musica ogni giorno.”
ascolti is the tu form, not the io form. Match the verb to the subject every time: io goes with ascolto.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Io ascolto la musica ieri.”
✓ Right: “Io ho ascoltato la musica questa settimana.”
Yesterday points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the passato prossimo ho ascoltato for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passato prossimo
✗ Wrong: “Io sono ascoltato la musica.”
✓ Right: “Io ho ascoltato la musica questa settimana.”
The passato prossimo of ascoltare is formed with avere plus the past participle ascoltato: the io form is ho ascoltato. 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 ascolto la musica.”
✓ Right: “È importante che io ascolti la musica.”
After è importante che Italian needs the subjunctive, so use ascolti here, not the indicative ascolto.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Io ho ascoltando la musica.”
✓ Right: “Io ho ascoltato la musica questa settimana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle ascoltato, not the gerund ascoltando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on ascoltare. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the io form of ascoltare in the Present indicative?
- A) ascolti
- B) ascolto
- C) ascolta
- D) ascoltiamo
What is the lui/lei form of ascoltare in the Passato remoto?
- A) ascoltai
- B) ascoltasti
- C) ascoltò
- D) ascoltammo
What is the noi form of ascoltare in the Imperfect?
- A) ascoltavo
- B) ascoltavi
- C) ascoltava
- D) ascoltavamo
What is the tu form of ascoltare in the Future?
- A) ascolterai
- B) ascolterò
- C) ascolterà
- D) ascolteremo
What is the io form of ascoltare in the Conditional?
- A) ascolteresti
- B) ascolterei
- C) ascolterebbe
- D) ascolteremmo
What is the lui/lei form of ascoltare in the Present perfect (passato prossimo)?
- A) ho ascoltato
- B) hai ascoltato
- C) ha ascoltato
- D) abbiamo ascoltato
What is the lui/lei form of ascoltare in the Present subjunctive?
- A) ascoltiamo
- B) ascoltiate
- C) ascoltino
- D) ascolti
What is the io form of ascoltare in the Imperfect subjunctive?
- A) ascoltassi
- B) ascoltasse
- C) ascoltassimo
- D) ascoltaste
What is the gerund of ascoltare?
- A) ascoltato
- B) ascoltando
- C) ascoltare
- D) ascolto
What does ascoltare mean in English?
- A) to explain
- B) to answer
- C) to listen
- D) to ask
Answer key
- B) ascolto — the correct form is ascolto. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) ascoltò — the correct form is ascoltò. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) ascoltavamo — the correct form is ascoltavamo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) ascolterai — the correct form is ascolterai. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) ascolterei — the correct form is ascolterei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) ha ascoltato — the correct form is ha ascoltato. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) ascolti — the correct form is ascolti. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) ascoltassi — the correct form is ascoltassi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) ascoltando — the correct form is ascoltando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to listen — the correct form is to listen. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does ascoltare mean in English?
ascoltare means “to listen”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is ascoltare regular or irregular?
ascoltare is regular: it follows the ordinary -are pattern in every tense. The gerund is ascoltando and the past participle is ascoltato.
What are the gerund and past participle of ascoltare?
The gerund is ascoltando — use it with stare for the progressive. The past participle is ascoltato — use it with avere for the perfect tenses, as in ho ascoltato.
Which auxiliary does ascoltare take in the passato prossimo?
ascoltare takes avere in the passato prossimo: the io form is ho ascoltato. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with avere plus the past participle ascoltato.
How do I say “I listen” in Italian?
Say “Io ascolto la musica ogni giorno.” — “I listen to the music” The io form of the present is ascolto, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of ascoltare — every tense of ascoltare in one place.
- Ascoltare in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Ascoltare 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.
- Spiegare conjugation — another everyday Italian verb.
- Domandare 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 ascoltare with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise ascoltare with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise ascoltare with the interactive tool.