Mostrare Conjugation in Italian
mostrare means “to show” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Italian learners meet — it sits at number 85 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Italian verbs. It means to show something to someone, and it is completely regular. It takes two objects in Italian — the thing shown and the person it is shown to — just as it does in English. This page gives you the complete conjugation of mostrare — 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 mostro la foto a Maria ogni giorno.” — “I show Maria the photo.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: mostrare
- English: to show
- Verb type: Regular -are verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: mostrando
- Present participle: mostrante
- Past participle: mostrato
- 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 mostrare, 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 mostrare in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about mostrare
- 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 mostrato. 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 mostrante and mostrato: 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 mostrare. 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 | mostro |
| tu | mostri |
| lui/lei | mostra |
| noi | mostriamo |
| voi | mostrate |
| loro | mostrano |
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Io mostro la foto a Maria ogni giorno.” — “I show Maria the photo”
Passato remoto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mostrai |
| tu | mostrasti |
| lui/lei | mostrò |
| noi | mostrammo |
| voi | mostraste |
| loro | mostrarono |
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 mostrai la foto a Maria ieri.” — “I showed Maria the photo”
Imperfect (imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mostravo |
| tu | mostravi |
| lui/lei | mostrava |
| noi | mostravamo |
| voi | mostravate |
| loro | mostravano |
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Io mostravo la foto a Maria una volta.” — “I used to show Maria the photo”
Future (futuro semplice)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mostrerò |
| tu | mostrerai |
| lui/lei | mostrerà |
| noi | mostreremo |
| voi | mostrerete |
| loro | mostreranno |
The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. For example: “Io mostrerò la foto a Maria domani.” — “I will show Maria the photo”
Conditional (condizionale)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mostrerei |
| tu | mostreresti |
| lui/lei | mostrerebbe |
| noi | mostreremmo |
| voi | mostrereste |
| loro | mostrerebbero |
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Io mostrerei la foto a Maria un giorno.” — “I would show Maria the photo”
Present perfect (passato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ho mostrato |
| tu | hai mostrato |
| lui/lei | ha mostrato |
| noi | abbiamo mostrato |
| voi | avete mostrato |
| loro | hanno mostrato |
The passato prossimo is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken Italian. For example: “Lui ha mostrato la foto a Maria questa settimana.” — “He has shown Maria the photo”
Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avevo mostrato |
| tu | avevi mostrato |
| lui/lei | aveva mostrato |
| noi | avevamo mostrato |
| voi | avevate mostrato |
| loro | avevano mostrato |
The pluperfect is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Io avevo mostrato la foto a Maria prima della festa.” — “I had shown Maria the photo”
Future perfect (futuro anteriore)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrò mostrato |
| tu | avrai mostrato |
| lui/lei | avrà mostrato |
| noi | avremo mostrato |
| voi | avrete mostrato |
| loro | avranno mostrato |
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Io avrò mostrato la foto a Maria per domani.” — “I will have shown Maria the photo”
Conditional perfect (condizionale passato)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrei mostrato |
| tu | avresti mostrato |
| lui/lei | avrebbe mostrato |
| noi | avremmo mostrato |
| voi | avreste mostrato |
| loro | avrebbero mostrato |
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Io avrei mostrato la foto a Maria ieri.” — “I would have shown Maria the photo”
Present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mostri |
| tu | mostri |
| lui/lei | mostri |
| noi | mostriamo |
| voi | mostriate |
| loro | mostrino |
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after che. For example: “È importante che io mostri la foto a Maria.” — “It is important that I show Maria the photo”
Imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mostrassi |
| tu | mostrassi |
| lui/lei | mostrasse |
| noi | mostrassimo |
| voi | mostraste |
| loro | mostrassero |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after che, and in if-clauses. For example: “Era importante che io mostrassi la foto a Maria.” — “It was important that I show Maria the photo”
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | mostra |
| lui/lei | mostri |
| noi | mostriamo |
| voi | mostrate |
| loro | mostrino |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Mostra la foto a Maria!” — “Show Maria the photo!”
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | mostrare |
| lui/lei | mostri |
| noi | mostriamo |
| voi | mostriate |
| loro | mostrino |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Non mostrare la foto a Maria.” — “Do not show Maria the photo.”
Gerund
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Gerund | mostrando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with stare for the progressive. For example: “Mostrando la foto a Maria, imparo molto.” — “While showing Maria the photo, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Present participle | mostrante |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle mostrante 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 | mostrato |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Io ho mostrato la foto a Maria questa settimana.” — “I have shown Maria the photo.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with mostrare, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Italian and try to produce it from the English.
- “Io mostro la foto a Maria ogni giorno.” — “I show Maria the photo”
- “Tu mostrasti la foto a Maria ieri.” — “You showed Maria the photo”
- “Lui mostrava la foto a Maria una volta.” — “He used to show Maria the photo”
- “Io mostrerò la foto a Maria domani.” — “I will show Maria the photo”
- “Tu mostreresti la foto a Maria un giorno.” — “You would show Maria the photo”
- “Lui ha mostrato la foto a Maria questa settimana.” — “He has shown Maria the photo”
- “Io avevo mostrato la foto a Maria prima della festa.” — “I had shown Maria the photo”
- “Tu avrai mostrato la foto a Maria per domani.” — “You will have shown Maria the photo”
- “È importante che io mostri la foto a Maria.” — “It is important that I show Maria the photo”
- “Mostra la foto a Maria!” — “Show Maria the photo!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Io mostrare la foto a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Io mostro la foto a Maria ogni giorno.”
The infinitive mostrare never takes a subject. After io you need the conjugated present form mostro.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Io mostri la foto a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Io mostro la foto a Maria ogni giorno.”
mostri is the tu form, not the io form. Match the verb to the subject every time: io goes with mostro.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Io mostro la foto a Maria ieri.”
✓ Right: “Io ho mostrato la foto a Maria questa settimana.”
Yesterday points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the passato prossimo ho mostrato for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passato prossimo
✗ Wrong: “Io sono mostrato la foto a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Io ho mostrato la foto a Maria questa settimana.”
The passato prossimo of mostrare is formed with avere plus the past participle mostrato: the io form is ho mostrato. 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 mostro la foto a Maria.”
✓ Right: “È importante che io mostri la foto a Maria.”
After è importante che Italian needs the subjunctive, so use mostri here, not the indicative mostro.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Io ho mostrando la foto a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Io ho mostrato la foto a Maria questa settimana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle mostrato, not the gerund mostrando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on mostrare. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the io form of mostrare in the Present indicative?
- A) mostri
- B) mostro
- C) mostra
- D) mostriamo
What is the lui/lei form of mostrare in the Passato remoto?
- A) mostrai
- B) mostrasti
- C) mostrò
- D) mostrammo
What is the noi form of mostrare in the Imperfect?
- A) mostravo
- B) mostravi
- C) mostrava
- D) mostravamo
What is the tu form of mostrare in the Future?
- A) mostrerai
- B) mostrerò
- C) mostrerà
- D) mostreremo
What is the io form of mostrare in the Conditional?
- A) mostreresti
- B) mostrerei
- C) mostrerebbe
- D) mostreremmo
What is the lui/lei form of mostrare in the Present perfect (passato prossimo)?
- A) ho mostrato
- B) hai mostrato
- C) ha mostrato
- D) abbiamo mostrato
What is the lui/lei form of mostrare in the Present subjunctive?
- A) mostriamo
- B) mostriate
- C) mostrino
- D) mostri
What is the io form of mostrare in the Imperfect subjunctive?
- A) mostrassi
- B) mostrasse
- C) mostrassimo
- D) mostraste
What is the gerund of mostrare?
- A) mostrato
- B) mostrando
- C) mostrare
- D) mostro
What does mostrare mean in English?
- A) to sit down
- B) to get dressed
- C) to show
- D) to call
Answer key
- B) mostro — the correct form is mostro. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) mostrò — the correct form is mostrò. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) mostravamo — the correct form is mostravamo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) mostrerai — the correct form is mostrerai. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) mostrerei — the correct form is mostrerei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) ha mostrato — the correct form is ha mostrato. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) mostri — the correct form is mostri. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) mostrassi — the correct form is mostrassi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) mostrando — the correct form is mostrando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to show — the correct form is to show. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does mostrare mean in English?
mostrare means “to show”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is mostrare regular or irregular?
mostrare is regular: it follows the ordinary -are pattern in every tense. The gerund is mostrando and the past participle is mostrato.
What are the gerund and past participle of mostrare?
The gerund is mostrando — use it with stare for the progressive. The past participle is mostrato — use it with avere for the perfect tenses, as in ho mostrato.
Which auxiliary does mostrare take in the passato prossimo?
mostrare takes avere in the passato prossimo: the io form is ho mostrato. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with avere plus the past participle mostrato.
How do I say “I show” in Italian?
Say “Io mostro la foto a Maria ogni giorno.” — “I show Maria the photo” The io form of the present is mostro, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of mostrare — every tense of mostrare in one place.
- Mostrare in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Mostrare 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 mostrare with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise mostrare with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise mostrare with the interactive tool.