Dimenticare Conjugation in Italian
dimenticare means “to forget” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Italian learners meet — it sits at number 78 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Italian verbs. It means to forget something, and it is regular apart from its spelling: the -care stem keeps its hard c by inserting h before e and i, so the tu form is dimentichi and the future is dimenticherò. Do not confuse it with ricordare, which means to remember. This page gives you the complete conjugation of dimenticare — 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 dimentico le chiavi ogni giorno.” — “I forget the keys.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: dimenticare
- English: to forget
- Verb type: Regular -are verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: dimenticando
- Present participle: dimenticante
- Past participle: dimenticato
- 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 dimenticare, 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 dimenticare in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about dimenticare
- 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 -care stem keeps its hard c by inserting h before e and i, so the tu form is dimentichi and the future is dimenticherò.
- The perfect tenses use avere: the passato prossimo is formed with avere in the present plus the past participle dimenticato. 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 dimenticante and dimenticato: 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 dimenticare. 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 | dimentico |
| tu | dimentichi |
| lui/lei | dimentica |
| noi | dimentichiamo |
| voi | dimenticate |
| loro | dimenticano |
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Io dimentico le chiavi ogni giorno.” — “I forget the keys”
Passato remoto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | dimenticai |
| tu | dimenticasti |
| lui/lei | dimenticò |
| noi | dimenticammo |
| voi | dimenticaste |
| loro | dimenticarono |
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 dimenticai le chiavi ieri.” — “I forgot the keys”
Imperfect (imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | dimenticavo |
| tu | dimenticavi |
| lui/lei | dimenticava |
| noi | dimenticavamo |
| voi | dimenticavate |
| loro | dimenticavano |
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Io dimenticavo le chiavi una volta.” — “I used to forget the keys”
Future (futuro semplice)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | dimenticherò |
| tu | dimenticherai |
| lui/lei | dimenticherà |
| noi | dimenticheremo |
| voi | dimenticherete |
| loro | dimenticheranno |
The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. For example: “Io dimenticherò le chiavi domani.” — “I will forget the keys”
Conditional (condizionale)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | dimenticherei |
| tu | dimenticheresti |
| lui/lei | dimenticherebbe |
| noi | dimenticheremmo |
| voi | dimentichereste |
| loro | dimenticherebbero |
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Io dimenticherei le chiavi un giorno.” — “I would forget the keys”
Present perfect (passato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ho dimenticato |
| tu | hai dimenticato |
| lui/lei | ha dimenticato |
| noi | abbiamo dimenticato |
| voi | avete dimenticato |
| loro | hanno dimenticato |
The passato prossimo is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken Italian. For example: “Lui ha dimenticato le chiavi questa settimana.” — “He has forgotten the keys”
Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avevo dimenticato |
| tu | avevi dimenticato |
| lui/lei | aveva dimenticato |
| noi | avevamo dimenticato |
| voi | avevate dimenticato |
| loro | avevano dimenticato |
The pluperfect is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Io avevo dimenticato le chiavi prima della festa.” — “I had forgotten the keys”
Future perfect (futuro anteriore)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrò dimenticato |
| tu | avrai dimenticato |
| lui/lei | avrà dimenticato |
| noi | avremo dimenticato |
| voi | avrete dimenticato |
| loro | avranno dimenticato |
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Io avrò dimenticato le chiavi per domani.” — “I will have forgotten the keys”
Conditional perfect (condizionale passato)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrei dimenticato |
| tu | avresti dimenticato |
| lui/lei | avrebbe dimenticato |
| noi | avremmo dimenticato |
| voi | avreste dimenticato |
| loro | avrebbero dimenticato |
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Io avrei dimenticato le chiavi ieri.” — “I would have forgotten the keys”
Present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | dimentichi |
| tu | dimentichi |
| lui/lei | dimentichi |
| noi | dimentichiamo |
| voi | dimentichiate |
| loro | dimentichino |
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after che. For example: “È importante che io dimentichi le chiavi.” — “It is important that I forget the keys”
Imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | dimenticassi |
| tu | dimenticassi |
| lui/lei | dimenticasse |
| noi | dimenticassimo |
| voi | dimenticaste |
| loro | dimenticassero |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after che, and in if-clauses. For example: “Era importante che io dimenticassi le chiavi.” — “It was important that I forget the keys”
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | dimentica |
| lui/lei | dimentichi |
| noi | dimentichiamo |
| voi | dimenticate |
| loro | dimentichino |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Dimentica le chiavi!” — “Forget the keys!”
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | dimenticare |
| lui/lei | dimentichi |
| noi | dimentichiamo |
| voi | dimentichiate |
| loro | dimentichino |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Non dimenticare le chiavi.” — “Do not forget the keys.”
Gerund
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Gerund | dimenticando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with stare for the progressive. For example: “Dimenticando le chiavi, imparo molto.” — “While forgetting the keys, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Present participle | dimenticante |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle dimenticante 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 | dimenticato |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Io ho dimenticato le chiavi questa settimana.” — “I have forgotten the keys.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with dimenticare, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Italian and try to produce it from the English.
- “Io dimentico le chiavi ogni giorno.” — “I forget the keys”
- “Tu dimenticasti le chiavi ieri.” — “You forgot the keys”
- “Lui dimenticava le chiavi una volta.” — “He used to forget the keys”
- “Io dimenticherò le chiavi domani.” — “I will forget the keys”
- “Tu dimenticheresti le chiavi un giorno.” — “You would forget the keys”
- “Lui ha dimenticato le chiavi questa settimana.” — “He has forgotten the keys”
- “Io avevo dimenticato le chiavi prima della festa.” — “I had forgotten the keys”
- “Tu avrai dimenticato le chiavi per domani.” — “You will have forgotten the keys”
- “È importante che io dimentichi le chiavi.” — “It is important that I forget the keys”
- “Dimentica le chiavi!” — “Forget the keys!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Io dimenticare le chiavi.”
✓ Right: “Io dimentico le chiavi ogni giorno.”
The infinitive dimenticare never takes a subject. After io you need the conjugated present form dimentico.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Io dimentichi le chiavi.”
✓ Right: “Io dimentico le chiavi ogni giorno.”
dimentichi is the tu form, not the io form. Match the verb to the subject every time: io goes with dimentico.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Io dimentico le chiavi ieri.”
✓ Right: “Io ho dimenticato le chiavi questa settimana.”
Yesterday points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the passato prossimo ho dimenticato for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passato prossimo
✗ Wrong: “Io sono dimenticato le chiavi.”
✓ Right: “Io ho dimenticato le chiavi questa settimana.”
The passato prossimo of dimenticare is formed with avere plus the past participle dimenticato: the io form is ho dimenticato. 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 dimentico le chiavi.”
✓ Right: “È importante che io dimentichi le chiavi.”
After è importante che Italian needs the subjunctive, so use dimentichi here, not the indicative dimentico.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Io ho dimenticando le chiavi.”
✓ Right: “Io ho dimenticato le chiavi questa settimana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle dimenticato, not the gerund dimenticando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on dimenticare. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the io form of dimenticare in the Present indicative?
- A) dimentichi
- B) dimentico
- C) dimentica
- D) dimentichiamo
What is the lui/lei form of dimenticare in the Passato remoto?
- A) dimenticai
- B) dimenticasti
- C) dimenticò
- D) dimenticammo
What is the noi form of dimenticare in the Imperfect?
- A) dimenticavo
- B) dimenticavi
- C) dimenticava
- D) dimenticavamo
What is the tu form of dimenticare in the Future?
- A) dimenticherai
- B) dimenticherò
- C) dimenticherà
- D) dimenticheremo
What is the io form of dimenticare in the Conditional?
- A) dimenticheresti
- B) dimenticherei
- C) dimenticherebbe
- D) dimenticheremmo
What is the lui/lei form of dimenticare in the Present perfect (passato prossimo)?
- A) ho dimenticato
- B) hai dimenticato
- C) ha dimenticato
- D) abbiamo dimenticato
What is the lui/lei form of dimenticare in the Present subjunctive?
- A) dimentichiamo
- B) dimentichiate
- C) dimentichino
- D) dimentichi
What is the io form of dimenticare in the Imperfect subjunctive?
- A) dimenticassi
- B) dimenticasse
- C) dimenticassimo
- D) dimenticaste
What is the gerund of dimenticare?
- A) dimenticato
- B) dimenticando
- C) dimenticare
- D) dimentico
What does dimenticare mean in English?
- A) to sit down
- B) to get dressed
- C) to forget
- D) to call
Answer key
- B) dimentico — the correct form is dimentico. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) dimenticò — the correct form is dimenticò. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) dimenticavamo — the correct form is dimenticavamo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) dimenticherai — the correct form is dimenticherai. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) dimenticherei — the correct form is dimenticherei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) ha dimenticato — the correct form is ha dimenticato. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) dimentichi — the correct form is dimentichi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) dimenticassi — the correct form is dimenticassi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) dimenticando — the correct form is dimenticando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to forget — the correct form is to forget. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does dimenticare mean in English?
dimenticare means “to forget”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is dimenticare regular or irregular?
dimenticare is regular: it follows the ordinary -are pattern in every tense. The gerund is dimenticando and the past participle is dimenticato.
What are the gerund and past participle of dimenticare?
The gerund is dimenticando — use it with stare for the progressive. The past participle is dimenticato — use it with avere for the perfect tenses, as in ho dimenticato.
Which auxiliary does dimenticare take in the passato prossimo?
dimenticare takes avere in the passato prossimo: the io form is ho dimenticato. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with avere plus the past participle dimenticato.
How do I say “I forget” in Italian?
Say “Io dimentico le chiavi ogni giorno.” — “I forget the keys” The io form of the present is dimentico, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of dimenticare — every tense of dimenticare in one place.
- Dimenticare in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Dimenticare 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.
- Chiamare conjugation — another everyday Italian verb.
- Cercare 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 dimenticare with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise dimenticare with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise dimenticare with the interactive tool.