Riuscire Conjugation in Italian
riuscire means “to manage” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Italian learners meet — it sits at number 390 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Italian verbs. It means to manage to do something and to succeed, and it takes essere in the passato prossimo. Its present has the stem change riesco/riescono, while noi riusciamo and voi riuscite keep the plain stem, and it is almost always followed by a with an infinitive. This page gives you the complete conjugation of riuscire — 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 riesco a finire il lavoro ogni giorno.” — “I manage to finish the work.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: riuscire
- English: to manage
- Verb type: Irregular -ire verb
- Irregular in: present, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative, present-perfect, pluperfect, future-perfect, conditional-perfect
- Gerund: riuscendo
- Present participle: riuscente
- Past participle: riuscito
- Auxiliary: essere (all perfect tenses are formed with essere + the past participle)
- Ending: -ire verbs; pattern ire in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for riuscire, 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 riuscire in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about riuscire
- It is irregular in 8 tense(s): present, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative, present-perfect, pluperfect, future-perfect, conditional-perfect. 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 essere: the passato prossimo is formed with essere in the present plus the past participle riuscito. 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 riuscente and riuscito: 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.
A note on riuscire
A note on the auxiliary: riuscire takes essere in the passato prossimo — io sono riuscito — and it is almost always followed by a with an infinitive, as in managing to finish the work.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for riuscire. 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 | riesco |
| tu | riesci |
| lui/lei | riesce |
| noi | riusciamo |
| voi | riuscite |
| loro | riescono |
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Io riesco a finire il lavoro ogni giorno.” — “I manage to finish the work”
Passato remoto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | riuscii |
| tu | riuscisti |
| lui/lei | riuscì |
| noi | riuscimmo |
| voi | riusciste |
| loro | riuscirono |
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 riuscii a finire il lavoro ieri.” — “I managed to finish the work”
Imperfect (imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | riuscivo |
| tu | riuscivi |
| lui/lei | riusciva |
| noi | riuscivamo |
| voi | riuscivate |
| loro | riuscivano |
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Io riuscivo a finire il lavoro una volta.” — “I used to manage to finish the work”
Future (futuro semplice)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | riuscirò |
| tu | riuscirai |
| lui/lei | riuscirà |
| noi | riusciremo |
| voi | riuscirete |
| loro | riusciranno |
The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. For example: “Io riuscirò a finire il lavoro domani.” — “I will manage to finish the work”
Conditional (condizionale)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | riuscirei |
| tu | riusciresti |
| lui/lei | riuscirebbe |
| noi | riusciremmo |
| voi | riuscireste |
| loro | riuscirebbero |
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Io riuscirei a finire il lavoro un giorno.” — “I would manage to finish the work”
Present perfect (passato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | sono riuscito |
| tu | sei riuscito |
| lui/lei | è riuscito |
| noi | siamo riuscito |
| voi | siete riuscito |
| loro | sono riuscito |
The passato prossimo is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken Italian. For example: “Lui è riuscito a finire il lavoro questa settimana.” — “He has managed to finish the work”
Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ero riuscito |
| tu | eri riuscito |
| lui/lei | era riuscito |
| noi | eravamo riuscito |
| voi | eravate riuscito |
| loro | erano riuscito |
The pluperfect is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Io ero riuscito a finire il lavoro prima della festa.” — “I had managed to finish the work”
Future perfect (futuro anteriore)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | sarò riuscito |
| tu | sarai riuscito |
| lui/lei | sarà riuscito |
| noi | saremo riuscito |
| voi | sarete riuscito |
| loro | saranno riuscito |
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Io sarò riuscito a finire il lavoro per domani.” — “I will have managed to finish the work”
Conditional perfect (condizionale passato)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | sarei riuscito |
| tu | saresti riuscito |
| lui/lei | sarebbe riuscito |
| noi | saremmo riuscito |
| voi | sareste riuscito |
| loro | sarebbero riuscito |
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Io sarei riuscito a finire il lavoro ieri.” — “I would have managed to finish the work”
Present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | riesca |
| tu | riesca |
| lui/lei | riesca |
| noi | riusciamo |
| voi | riusciate |
| loro | riescano |
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after che. For example: “È importante che io riesca a finire il lavoro.” — “It is important that I manage to finish the work”
Imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | riuscissi |
| tu | riuscissi |
| lui/lei | riuscisse |
| noi | riuscissimo |
| voi | riusciste |
| loro | riuscissero |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after che, and in if-clauses. For example: “Era importante che io riuscissi a finire il lavoro.” — “It was important that I manage to finish the work”
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | riesci |
| lui/lei | riesca |
| noi | riusciamo |
| voi | riuscite |
| loro | riescano |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Riesci a finire il lavoro!” — “Manage to finish the work!”
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | riuscire |
| lui/lei | riesca |
| noi | riusciamo |
| voi | riusciate |
| loro | riescano |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Non riuscire a finire il lavoro.” — “Do not manage to finish the work.”
Gerund
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Gerund | riuscendo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with stare for the progressive. For example: “Riuscendo a finire il lavoro, imparo molto.” — “While managing to finish the work, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Present participle | riuscente |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle riuscente 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 | riuscito |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Io sono riuscito a finire il lavoro questa settimana.” — “I have managed to finish the work.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with riuscire, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Italian and try to produce it from the English.
- “Io riesco a finire il lavoro ogni giorno.” — “I manage to finish the work”
- “Tu riuscisti a finire il lavoro ieri.” — “You managed to finish the work”
- “Lui riusciva a finire il lavoro una volta.” — “He used to manage to finish the work”
- “Io riuscirò a finire il lavoro domani.” — “I will manage to finish the work”
- “Tu riusciresti a finire il lavoro un giorno.” — “You would manage to finish the work”
- “Lui è riuscito a finire il lavoro questa settimana.” — “He has managed to finish the work”
- “Io ero riuscito a finire il lavoro prima della festa.” — “I had managed to finish the work”
- “Tu sarai riuscito a finire il lavoro per domani.” — “You will have managed to finish the work”
- “È importante che io riesca a finire il lavoro.” — “It is important that I manage to finish the work”
- “Riesci a finire il lavoro!” — “Manage to finish the work!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Io riuscire a finire il lavoro.”
✓ Right: “Io riesco a finire il lavoro ogni giorno.”
The infinitive riuscire never takes a subject. After io you need the conjugated present form riesco.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Io riesci a finire il lavoro.”
✓ Right: “Io riesco a finire il lavoro ogni giorno.”
riesci is the tu form, not the io form. Match the verb to the subject every time: io goes with riesco.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Io riesco a finire il lavoro ieri.”
✓ Right: “Io sono riuscito a finire il lavoro questa settimana.”
Yesterday points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the passato prossimo sono riuscito for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passato prossimo
✗ Wrong: “Io ho riuscito a finire il lavoro.”
✓ Right: “Io sono riuscito a finire il lavoro questa settimana.”
The passato prossimo of riuscire is formed with essere plus the past participle riuscito: the io form is sono riuscito. 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 riesco a finire il lavoro.”
✓ Right: “È importante che io riesca a finire il lavoro.”
After è importante che Italian needs the subjunctive, so use riesca here, not the indicative riesco.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Io sono riuscendo a finire il lavoro.”
✓ Right: “Io sono riuscito a finire il lavoro questa settimana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle riuscito, not the gerund riuscendo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on riuscire. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the io form of riuscire in the Present indicative?
- A) riesci
- B) riesco
- C) riesce
- D) riusciamo
What is the lui/lei form of riuscire in the Passato remoto?
- A) riuscii
- B) riuscisti
- C) riuscì
- D) riuscimmo
What is the noi form of riuscire in the Imperfect?
- A) riuscivo
- B) riuscivi
- C) riusciva
- D) riuscivamo
What is the tu form of riuscire in the Future?
- A) riuscirai
- B) riuscirò
- C) riuscirà
- D) riusciremo
What is the io form of riuscire in the Conditional?
- A) riusciresti
- B) riuscirei
- C) riuscirebbe
- D) riusciremmo
What is the lui/lei form of riuscire in the Present perfect (passato prossimo)?
- A) sono riuscito
- B) sei riuscito
- C) è riuscito
- D) siamo riuscito
What is the lui/lei form of riuscire in the Present subjunctive?
- A) riusciamo
- B) riusciate
- C) riescano
- D) riesca
What is the io form of riuscire in the Imperfect subjunctive?
- A) riuscissi
- B) riuscisse
- C) riuscissimo
- D) riusciste
What is the gerund of riuscire?
- A) riuscito
- B) riuscendo
- C) riuscire
- D) riesco
What does riuscire mean in English?
- A) to sit down
- B) to get dressed
- C) to manage
- D) to call
Answer key
- B) riesco — the correct form is riesco. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) riuscì — the correct form is riuscì. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) riuscivamo — the correct form is riuscivamo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) riuscirai — the correct form is riuscirai. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) riuscirei — the correct form is riuscirei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) è riuscito — the correct form is è riuscito. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) riesca — the correct form is riesca. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) riuscissi — the correct form is riuscissi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) riuscendo — the correct form is riuscendo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to manage — the correct form is to manage. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does riuscire mean in English?
riuscire means “to manage”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is riuscire regular or irregular?
riuscire is irregular: it is irregular in present, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative, present-perfect, pluperfect, future-perfect, conditional-perfect. The gerund is riuscendo and the past participle is riuscito.
What are the gerund and past participle of riuscire?
The gerund is riuscendo — use it with stare for the progressive. The past participle is riuscito — use it with essere for the perfect tenses, as in sono riuscito.
Which auxiliary does riuscire take in the passato prossimo?
riuscire takes essere in the passato prossimo: the io form is sono riuscito. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with essere plus the past participle riuscito.
How do I say “I manage” in Italian?
Say “Io riesco a finire il lavoro ogni giorno.” — “I manage to finish the work” The io form of the present is riesco, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of riuscire — every tense of riuscire in one place.
- Riuscire in the passato prossimo tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Riuscire 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.
- Vestirsi conjugation — another everyday Italian verb.
- Seguire 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 riuscire with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise riuscire with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise riuscire with the interactive tool.