Lavorare Conjugation in Italian
lavorare means “to work” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Italian learners meet — it sits at number 22 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Italian verbs. It is the verb of working, used for jobs, for working in a place and for working on a task. It is completely regular, and it is one of the most frequent verbs in everyday Italian. This page gives you the complete conjugation of lavorare — 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 lavoro in ufficio ogni giorno.” — “I work in the office.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: lavorare
- English: to work
- Verb type: Regular -are verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: lavorando
- Present participle: lavorante
- Past participle: lavorato
- 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 lavorare, 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 lavorare in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about lavorare
- 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 lavorato. 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 lavorante and lavorato: 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 lavorare. 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 | lavoro |
| tu | lavori |
| lui/lei | lavora |
| noi | lavoriamo |
| voi | lavorate |
| loro | lavorano |
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Io lavoro in ufficio ogni giorno.” — “I work in the office”
Passato remoto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | lavorai |
| tu | lavorasti |
| lui/lei | lavorò |
| noi | lavorammo |
| voi | lavoraste |
| loro | lavorarono |
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 lavorai in ufficio ieri.” — “I worked in the office”
Imperfect (imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | lavoravo |
| tu | lavoravi |
| lui/lei | lavorava |
| noi | lavoravamo |
| voi | lavoravate |
| loro | lavoravano |
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Io lavoravo in ufficio una volta.” — “I used to work in the office”
Future (futuro semplice)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | lavorerò |
| tu | lavorerai |
| lui/lei | lavorerà |
| noi | lavoreremo |
| voi | lavorerete |
| loro | lavoreranno |
The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. For example: “Io lavorerò in ufficio domani.” — “I will work in the office”
Conditional (condizionale)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | lavorerei |
| tu | lavoreresti |
| lui/lei | lavorerebbe |
| noi | lavoreremmo |
| voi | lavorereste |
| loro | lavorerebbero |
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Io lavorerei in ufficio un giorno.” — “I would work in the office”
Present perfect (passato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ho lavorato |
| tu | hai lavorato |
| lui/lei | ha lavorato |
| noi | abbiamo lavorato |
| voi | avete lavorato |
| loro | hanno lavorato |
The passato prossimo is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken Italian. For example: “Lui ha lavorato in ufficio questa settimana.” — “He has worked in the office”
Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avevo lavorato |
| tu | avevi lavorato |
| lui/lei | aveva lavorato |
| noi | avevamo lavorato |
| voi | avevate lavorato |
| loro | avevano lavorato |
The pluperfect is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Io avevo lavorato in ufficio prima della festa.” — “I had worked in the office”
Future perfect (futuro anteriore)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrò lavorato |
| tu | avrai lavorato |
| lui/lei | avrà lavorato |
| noi | avremo lavorato |
| voi | avrete lavorato |
| loro | avranno lavorato |
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Io avrò lavorato in ufficio per domani.” — “I will have worked in the office”
Conditional perfect (condizionale passato)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrei lavorato |
| tu | avresti lavorato |
| lui/lei | avrebbe lavorato |
| noi | avremmo lavorato |
| voi | avreste lavorato |
| loro | avrebbero lavorato |
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Io avrei lavorato in ufficio ieri.” — “I would have worked in the office”
Present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | lavori |
| tu | lavori |
| lui/lei | lavori |
| noi | lavoriamo |
| voi | lavoriate |
| loro | lavorino |
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after che. For example: “È importante che io lavori in ufficio.” — “It is important that I work in the office”
Imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | lavorassi |
| tu | lavorassi |
| lui/lei | lavorasse |
| noi | lavorassimo |
| voi | lavoraste |
| loro | lavorassero |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after che, and in if-clauses. For example: “Era importante che io lavorassi in ufficio.” — “It was important that I work in the office”
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | lavora |
| lui/lei | lavori |
| noi | lavoriamo |
| voi | lavorate |
| loro | lavorino |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Lavora in ufficio!” — “Work in the office!”
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | lavorare |
| lui/lei | lavori |
| noi | lavoriamo |
| voi | lavoriate |
| loro | lavorino |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Non lavorare in ufficio.” — “Do not work in the office.”
Gerund
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Gerund | lavorando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with stare for the progressive. For example: “Lavorando in ufficio, imparo molto.” — “While working in the office, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Present participle | lavorante |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle lavorante 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 | lavorato |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Io ho lavorato in ufficio questa settimana.” — “I have worked in the office.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with lavorare, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Italian and try to produce it from the English.
- “Io lavoro in ufficio ogni giorno.” — “I work in the office”
- “Tu lavorasti in ufficio ieri.” — “You worked in the office”
- “Lui lavorava in ufficio una volta.” — “He used to work in the office”
- “Io lavorerò in ufficio domani.” — “I will work in the office”
- “Tu lavoreresti in ufficio un giorno.” — “You would work in the office”
- “Lui ha lavorato in ufficio questa settimana.” — “He has worked in the office”
- “Io avevo lavorato in ufficio prima della festa.” — “I had worked in the office”
- “Tu avrai lavorato in ufficio per domani.” — “You will have worked in the office”
- “È importante che io lavori in ufficio.” — “It is important that I work in the office”
- “Lavora in ufficio!” — “Work in the office!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Io lavorare in ufficio.”
✓ Right: “Io lavoro in ufficio ogni giorno.”
The infinitive lavorare never takes a subject. After io you need the conjugated present form lavoro.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Io lavori in ufficio.”
✓ Right: “Io lavoro in ufficio ogni giorno.”
lavori is the tu form, not the io form. Match the verb to the subject every time: io goes with lavoro.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Io lavoro in ufficio ieri.”
✓ Right: “Io ho lavorato in ufficio questa settimana.”
Yesterday points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the passato prossimo ho lavorato for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passato prossimo
✗ Wrong: “Io sono lavorato in ufficio.”
✓ Right: “Io ho lavorato in ufficio questa settimana.”
The passato prossimo of lavorare is formed with avere plus the past participle lavorato: the io form is ho lavorato. 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 lavoro in ufficio.”
✓ Right: “È importante che io lavori in ufficio.”
After è importante che Italian needs the subjunctive, so use lavori here, not the indicative lavoro.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Io ho lavorando in ufficio.”
✓ Right: “Io ho lavorato in ufficio questa settimana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle lavorato, not the gerund lavorando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on lavorare. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the io form of lavorare in the Present indicative?
- A) lavori
- B) lavoro
- C) lavora
- D) lavoriamo
What is the lui/lei form of lavorare in the Passato remoto?
- A) lavorai
- B) lavorasti
- C) lavorò
- D) lavorammo
What is the noi form of lavorare in the Imperfect?
- A) lavoravo
- B) lavoravi
- C) lavorava
- D) lavoravamo
What is the tu form of lavorare in the Future?
- A) lavorerai
- B) lavorerò
- C) lavorerà
- D) lavoreremo
What is the io form of lavorare in the Conditional?
- A) lavoreresti
- B) lavorerei
- C) lavorerebbe
- D) lavoreremmo
What is the lui/lei form of lavorare in the Present perfect (passato prossimo)?
- A) ho lavorato
- B) hai lavorato
- C) ha lavorato
- D) abbiamo lavorato
What is the lui/lei form of lavorare in the Present subjunctive?
- A) lavoriamo
- B) lavoriate
- C) lavorino
- D) lavori
What is the io form of lavorare in the Imperfect subjunctive?
- A) lavorassi
- B) lavorasse
- C) lavorassimo
- D) lavoraste
What is the gerund of lavorare?
- A) lavorato
- B) lavorando
- C) lavorare
- D) lavoro
What does lavorare mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to have
- C) to work
- D) to do, to make
Answer key
- B) lavoro — the correct form is lavoro. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) lavorò — the correct form is lavorò. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) lavoravamo — the correct form is lavoravamo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) lavorerai — the correct form is lavorerai. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) lavorerei — the correct form is lavorerei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) ha lavorato — the correct form is ha lavorato. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) lavori — the correct form is lavori. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) lavorassi — the correct form is lavorassi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) lavorando — the correct form is lavorando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to work — the correct form is to work. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does lavorare mean in English?
lavorare means “to work”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is lavorare regular or irregular?
lavorare is regular: it follows the ordinary -are pattern in every tense. The gerund is lavorando and the past participle is lavorato.
What are the gerund and past participle of lavorare?
The gerund is lavorando — use it with stare for the progressive. The past participle is lavorato — use it with avere for the perfect tenses, as in ho lavorato.
Which auxiliary does lavorare take in the passato prossimo?
lavorare takes avere in the passato prossimo: the io form is ho lavorato. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with avere plus the past participle lavorato.
How do I say “I work” in Italian?
Say “Io lavoro in ufficio ogni giorno.” — “I work in the office” The io form of the present is lavoro, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of lavorare — every tense of lavorare in one place.
- Lavorare in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Lavorare 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 lavorare with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise lavorare with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise lavorare with the interactive tool.