Leggere Conjugation in Italian
leggere means “to read” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Italian learners meet — it sits at number 26 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Italian verbs. It means to read a book, a letter or a newspaper, and it is regular in the present but irregular in the passato remoto and the past participle: the participle is letto, and the remoto uses the -essi forms, so learn them as a set. This page gives you the complete conjugation of leggere — 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 leggo un libro ogni giorno.” — “I read a book.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: leggere
- English: to read
- Verb type: Irregular -ere verb
- Irregular in: passato-remoto, past-participle, present-perfect, pluperfect
- Gerund: leggendo
- Present participle: leggente
- Past participle: letto
- Auxiliary: avere (all perfect tenses are formed with avere + the past participle)
- Ending: -ere verbs; pattern ere in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for leggere, 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 leggere in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about leggere
- It is irregular in 4 tense(s): passato-remoto, past-participle, present-perfect, pluperfect. Learn those forms as a set instead of guessing them from the infinitive, because the stem changes in ways no rule predicts.
- The perfect tenses use avere: the passato prossimo is formed with avere in the present plus the past participle letto. 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 leggente and letto: 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 leggere. 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 | leggo |
| tu | leggi |
| lui/lei | legge |
| noi | leggiamo |
| voi | leggete |
| loro | leggono |
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Io leggo un libro ogni giorno.” — “I read a book”
Passato remoto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | lessi |
| tu | leggesti |
| lui/lei | lesse |
| noi | leggemmo |
| voi | leggeste |
| loro | lessero |
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 lessi un libro ieri.” — “I read a book”
Imperfect (imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | leggevo |
| tu | leggevi |
| lui/lei | leggeva |
| noi | leggevamo |
| voi | leggevate |
| loro | leggevano |
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Io leggevo un libro una volta.” — “I used to read a book”
Future (futuro semplice)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | leggerò |
| tu | leggerai |
| lui/lei | leggerà |
| noi | leggeremo |
| voi | leggerete |
| loro | leggeranno |
The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. For example: “Io leggerò un libro domani.” — “I will read a book”
Conditional (condizionale)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | leggerei |
| tu | leggeresti |
| lui/lei | leggerebbe |
| noi | leggeremmo |
| voi | leggereste |
| loro | leggerebbero |
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Io leggerei un libro un giorno.” — “I would read a book”
Present perfect (passato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ho letto |
| tu | hai letto |
| lui/lei | ha letto |
| noi | abbiamo letto |
| voi | avete letto |
| loro | hanno letto |
The passato prossimo is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken Italian. For example: “Lui ha letto un libro questa settimana.” — “He has read a book”
Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avevo letto |
| tu | avevi letto |
| lui/lei | aveva letto |
| noi | avevamo letto |
| voi | avevate letto |
| loro | avevano letto |
The pluperfect is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Io avevo letto un libro prima della festa.” — “I had read a book”
Future perfect (futuro anteriore)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrò letto |
| tu | avrai letto |
| lui/lei | avrà letto |
| noi | avremo letto |
| voi | avrete letto |
| loro | avranno letto |
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Io avrò letto un libro per domani.” — “I will have read a book”
Conditional perfect (condizionale passato)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrei letto |
| tu | avresti letto |
| lui/lei | avrebbe letto |
| noi | avremmo letto |
| voi | avreste letto |
| loro | avrebbero letto |
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Io avrei letto un libro ieri.” — “I would have read a book”
Present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | legga |
| tu | legga |
| lui/lei | legga |
| noi | leggiamo |
| voi | leggiate |
| loro | leggano |
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after che. For example: “È importante che io legga un libro.” — “It is important that I read a book”
Imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | leggessi |
| tu | leggessi |
| lui/lei | leggesse |
| noi | leggessimo |
| voi | leggeste |
| loro | leggessero |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after che, and in if-clauses. For example: “Era importante che io leggessi un libro.” — “It was important that I read a book”
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | leggi |
| lui/lei | legga |
| noi | leggiamo |
| voi | leggete |
| loro | leggano |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Leggi un libro!” — “Read a book!”
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | leggere |
| lui/lei | legga |
| noi | leggiamo |
| voi | leggiate |
| loro | leggano |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Non leggere un libro.” — “Do not read a book.”
Gerund
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Gerund | leggendo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with stare for the progressive. For example: “Leggendo un libro, imparo molto.” — “While reading a book, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Present participle | leggente |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle leggente 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 | letto |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Io ho letto un libro questa settimana.” — “I have read a book.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with leggere, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Italian and try to produce it from the English.
- “Io leggo un libro ogni giorno.” — “I read a book”
- “Tu leggesti un libro ieri.” — “You read a book”
- “Lui leggeva un libro una volta.” — “He used to read a book”
- “Io leggerò un libro domani.” — “I will read a book”
- “Tu leggeresti un libro un giorno.” — “You would read a book”
- “Lui ha letto un libro questa settimana.” — “He has read a book”
- “Io avevo letto un libro prima della festa.” — “I had read a book”
- “Tu avrai letto un libro per domani.” — “You will have read a book”
- “È importante che io legga un libro.” — “It is important that I read a book”
- “Leggi un libro!” — “Read a book!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Io leggere un libro.”
✓ Right: “Io leggo un libro ogni giorno.”
The infinitive leggere never takes a subject. After io you need the conjugated present form leggo.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Io leggi un libro.”
✓ Right: “Io leggo un libro ogni giorno.”
leggi is the tu form, not the io form. Match the verb to the subject every time: io goes with leggo.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Io leggo un libro ieri.”
✓ Right: “Io ho letto un libro questa settimana.”
Yesterday points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the passato prossimo ho letto for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passato prossimo
✗ Wrong: “Io sono letto un libro.”
✓ Right: “Io ho letto un libro questa settimana.”
The passato prossimo of leggere is formed with avere plus the past participle letto: the io form is ho letto. 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 leggo un libro.”
✓ Right: “È importante che io legga un libro.”
After è importante che Italian needs the subjunctive, so use legga here, not the indicative leggo.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Io ho leggendo un libro.”
✓ Right: “Io ho letto un libro questa settimana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle letto, not the gerund leggendo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on leggere. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the io form of leggere in the Present indicative?
- A) leggi
- B) leggo
- C) legge
- D) leggiamo
What is the lui/lei form of leggere in the Passato remoto?
- A) lessi
- B) leggesti
- C) lesse
- D) leggemmo
What is the noi form of leggere in the Imperfect?
- A) leggevo
- B) leggevi
- C) leggeva
- D) leggevamo
What is the tu form of leggere in the Future?
- A) leggerai
- B) leggerò
- C) leggerà
- D) leggeremo
What is the io form of leggere in the Conditional?
- A) leggeresti
- B) leggerei
- C) leggerebbe
- D) leggeremmo
What is the lui/lei form of leggere in the Present perfect (passato prossimo)?
- A) ho letto
- B) hai letto
- C) ha letto
- D) abbiamo letto
What is the lui/lei form of leggere in the Present subjunctive?
- A) leggiamo
- B) leggiate
- C) leggano
- D) legga
What is the io form of leggere in the Imperfect subjunctive?
- A) leggessi
- B) leggesse
- C) leggessimo
- D) leggeste
What is the gerund of leggere?
- A) letto
- B) leggendo
- C) leggere
- D) leggo
What does leggere mean in English?
- A) to sit down
- B) to get dressed
- C) to read
- D) to call
Answer key
- B) leggo — the correct form is leggo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) lesse — the correct form is lesse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) leggevamo — the correct form is leggevamo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) leggerai — the correct form is leggerai. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) leggerei — the correct form is leggerei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) ha letto — the correct form is ha letto. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) legga — the correct form is legga. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) leggessi — the correct form is leggessi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) leggendo — the correct form is leggendo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to read — the correct form is to read. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does leggere mean in English?
leggere means “to read”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is leggere regular or irregular?
leggere is irregular: it is irregular in passato-remoto, past-participle, present-perfect, pluperfect. The gerund is leggendo and the past participle is letto.
What are the gerund and past participle of leggere?
The gerund is leggendo — use it with stare for the progressive. The past participle is letto — use it with avere for the perfect tenses, as in ho letto.
Which auxiliary does leggere take in the passato prossimo?
leggere takes avere in the passato prossimo: the io form is ho letto. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with avere plus the past participle letto.
How do I say “I read” in Italian?
Say “Io leggo un libro ogni giorno.” — “I read a book” The io form of the present is leggo, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of leggere — every tense of leggere in one place.
- Leggere in the passato prossimo tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Leggere examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Italian passato prossimo tense guide — the full guide to the passato prossimo tense in Italian.
- Italian irregular verbs — every common irregular Italian verb, grouped by pattern.
- Sedersi conjugation — another everyday Italian verb.
- Tenere 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 leggere with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise leggere with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise leggere with the interactive tool.