Fermare Conjugation in Italian
fermare means “to stop” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Italian learners meet — it sits at number 313 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Italian verbs. It is the transitive verb for stopping something, such as a car, and it is completely regular in every tense. Its reflexive partner fermarsi means to stop oneself, as in stopping on the way home, and the two share the same stem and endings. This page gives you the complete conjugation of fermare — 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 fermo la macchina ogni giorno.” — “I stop the car.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: fermare
- English: to stop
- Verb type: Regular -are verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: fermando
- Present participle: fermante
- Past participle: fermato
- 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 fermare, 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 fermare in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about fermare
- 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 fermato. 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 fermante and fermato: 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 fermare. 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 | fermo |
| tu | fermi |
| lui/lei | ferma |
| noi | fermiamo |
| voi | fermate |
| loro | fermano |
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Io fermo la macchina ogni giorno.” — “I stop the car”
Passato remoto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | fermai |
| tu | fermasti |
| lui/lei | fermò |
| noi | fermammo |
| voi | fermaste |
| loro | fermarono |
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 fermai la macchina ieri.” — “I stopped the car”
Imperfect (imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | fermavo |
| tu | fermavi |
| lui/lei | fermava |
| noi | fermavamo |
| voi | fermavate |
| loro | fermavano |
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Io fermavo la macchina una volta.” — “I used to stop the car”
Future (futuro semplice)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | fermerò |
| tu | fermerai |
| lui/lei | fermerà |
| noi | fermeremo |
| voi | fermerete |
| loro | fermeranno |
The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. For example: “Io fermerò la macchina domani.” — “I will stop the car”
Conditional (condizionale)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | fermerei |
| tu | fermeresti |
| lui/lei | fermerebbe |
| noi | fermeremmo |
| voi | fermereste |
| loro | fermerebbero |
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Io fermerei la macchina un giorno.” — “I would stop the car”
Present perfect (passato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ho fermato |
| tu | hai fermato |
| lui/lei | ha fermato |
| noi | abbiamo fermato |
| voi | avete fermato |
| loro | hanno fermato |
The passato prossimo is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken Italian. For example: “Lui ha fermato la macchina questa settimana.” — “He has stopped the car”
Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avevo fermato |
| tu | avevi fermato |
| lui/lei | aveva fermato |
| noi | avevamo fermato |
| voi | avevate fermato |
| loro | avevano fermato |
The pluperfect is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Io avevo fermato la macchina prima della festa.” — “I had stopped the car”
Future perfect (futuro anteriore)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrò fermato |
| tu | avrai fermato |
| lui/lei | avrà fermato |
| noi | avremo fermato |
| voi | avrete fermato |
| loro | avranno fermato |
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Io avrò fermato la macchina per domani.” — “I will have stopped the car”
Conditional perfect (condizionale passato)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrei fermato |
| tu | avresti fermato |
| lui/lei | avrebbe fermato |
| noi | avremmo fermato |
| voi | avreste fermato |
| loro | avrebbero fermato |
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Io avrei fermato la macchina ieri.” — “I would have stopped the car”
Present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | fermi |
| tu | fermi |
| lui/lei | fermi |
| noi | fermiamo |
| voi | fermiate |
| loro | fermino |
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after che. For example: “È importante che io fermi la macchina.” — “It is important that I stop the car”
Imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | fermassi |
| tu | fermassi |
| lui/lei | fermasse |
| noi | fermassimo |
| voi | fermaste |
| loro | fermassero |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after che, and in if-clauses. For example: “Era importante che io fermassi la macchina.” — “It was important that I stop the car”
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | ferma |
| lui/lei | fermi |
| noi | fermiamo |
| voi | fermate |
| loro | fermino |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Ferma la macchina!” — “Stop the car!”
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | fermare |
| lui/lei | fermi |
| noi | fermiamo |
| voi | fermiate |
| loro | fermino |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Non fermare la macchina.” — “Do not stop the car.”
Gerund
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Gerund | fermando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with stare for the progressive. For example: “Fermando la macchina, imparo molto.” — “While stopping the car, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Present participle | fermante |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle fermante 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 | fermato |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Io ho fermato la macchina questa settimana.” — “I have stopped the car.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with fermare, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Italian and try to produce it from the English.
- “Io fermo la macchina ogni giorno.” — “I stop the car”
- “Tu fermasti la macchina ieri.” — “You stopped the car”
- “Lui fermava la macchina una volta.” — “He used to stop the car”
- “Io fermerò la macchina domani.” — “I will stop the car”
- “Tu fermeresti la macchina un giorno.” — “You would stop the car”
- “Lui ha fermato la macchina questa settimana.” — “He has stopped the car”
- “Io avevo fermato la macchina prima della festa.” — “I had stopped the car”
- “Tu avrai fermato la macchina per domani.” — “You will have stopped the car”
- “È importante che io fermi la macchina.” — “It is important that I stop the car”
- “Ferma la macchina!” — “Stop the car!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Io fermare la macchina.”
✓ Right: “Io fermo la macchina ogni giorno.”
The infinitive fermare never takes a subject. After io you need the conjugated present form fermo.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Io fermi la macchina.”
✓ Right: “Io fermo la macchina ogni giorno.”
fermi is the tu form, not the io form. Match the verb to the subject every time: io goes with fermo.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Io fermo la macchina ieri.”
✓ Right: “Io ho fermato la macchina questa settimana.”
Yesterday points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the passato prossimo ho fermato for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passato prossimo
✗ Wrong: “Io sono fermato la macchina.”
✓ Right: “Io ho fermato la macchina questa settimana.”
The passato prossimo of fermare is formed with avere plus the past participle fermato: the io form is ho fermato. 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 fermo la macchina.”
✓ Right: “È importante che io fermi la macchina.”
After è importante che Italian needs the subjunctive, so use fermi here, not the indicative fermo.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Io ho fermando la macchina.”
✓ Right: “Io ho fermato la macchina questa settimana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle fermato, not the gerund fermando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on fermare. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the io form of fermare in the Present indicative?
- A) fermi
- B) fermo
- C) ferma
- D) fermiamo
What is the lui/lei form of fermare in the Passato remoto?
- A) fermai
- B) fermasti
- C) fermò
- D) fermammo
What is the noi form of fermare in the Imperfect?
- A) fermavo
- B) fermavi
- C) fermava
- D) fermavamo
What is the tu form of fermare in the Future?
- A) fermerai
- B) fermerò
- C) fermerà
- D) fermeremo
What is the io form of fermare in the Conditional?
- A) fermeresti
- B) fermerei
- C) fermerebbe
- D) fermeremmo
What is the lui/lei form of fermare in the Present perfect (passato prossimo)?
- A) ho fermato
- B) hai fermato
- C) ha fermato
- D) abbiamo fermato
What is the lui/lei form of fermare in the Present subjunctive?
- A) fermiamo
- B) fermiate
- C) fermino
- D) fermi
What is the io form of fermare in the Imperfect subjunctive?
- A) fermassi
- B) fermasse
- C) fermassimo
- D) fermaste
What is the gerund of fermare?
- A) fermato
- B) fermando
- C) fermare
- D) fermo
What does fermare mean in English?
- A) to explain
- B) to answer
- C) to stop
- D) to ask
Answer key
- B) fermo — the correct form is fermo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) fermò — the correct form is fermò. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) fermavamo — the correct form is fermavamo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) fermerai — the correct form is fermerai. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) fermerei — the correct form is fermerei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) ha fermato — the correct form is ha fermato. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) fermi — the correct form is fermi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) fermassi — the correct form is fermassi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) fermando — the correct form is fermando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to stop — the correct form is to stop. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does fermare mean in English?
fermare means “to stop”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is fermare regular or irregular?
fermare is regular: it follows the ordinary -are pattern in every tense. The gerund is fermando and the past participle is fermato.
What are the gerund and past participle of fermare?
The gerund is fermando — use it with stare for the progressive. The past participle is fermato — use it with avere for the perfect tenses, as in ho fermato.
Which auxiliary does fermare take in the passato prossimo?
fermare takes avere in the passato prossimo: the io form is ho fermato. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with avere plus the past participle fermato.
How do I say “I stop” in Italian?
Say “Io fermo la macchina ogni giorno.” — “I stop the car” The io form of the present is fermo, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of fermare — every tense of fermare in one place.
- Fermare in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Fermare 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 fermare with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise fermare with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise fermare with the interactive tool.