Sedersi Conjugation in Italian
sedersi means “to sit down” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Italian learners meet — it sits at number 766 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Italian verbs. It is the reflexive verb for sitting down, and it is irregular in the present, where the stem changes to sied- in the singular and third-person plural: io siedo, loro siedono. Every form carries a reflexive pronoun, and the passato prossimo is formed with essere, as it is for all reflexive verbs. This page gives you the complete conjugation of sedersi — 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 mi siedo sulla sedia ogni giorno.” — “I sit down on the chair.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: sedersi
- English: to sit down
- Verb type: Irregular -ere verb
- Irregular in: present, passato-remoto, future, conditional, future-perfect, conditional-perfect, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative
- Gerund: sedendosi
- Present participle: sedente
- Past participle: seduto
- Auxiliary: essere (all perfect tenses are formed with essere + 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 sedersi, 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 sedersi in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about sedersi
- It is irregular in 9 tense(s): present, passato-remoto, future, conditional, future-perfect, conditional-perfect, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative. Learn those forms as a set instead of guessing them from the infinitive, because the stem changes in ways no rule predicts. Its present has the stem change siedo/siedono, and its passato remoto uses the sedetti forms.
- The perfect tenses use essere: the passato prossimo is formed with essere in the present plus the past participle seduto. 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. Because sedersi is reflexive, every form on this page carries its reflexive pronoun — mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si — and the passato prossimo is formed with essere. The engine gives the bare verb forms, so the pronouns here are the article layer that makes the forms usable in a sentence.
- The participles are sedente and seduto: 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 sedersi. 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 | mi siedo |
| tu | ti siedi |
| lui/lei | si siede |
| noi | ci sediamo |
| voi | vi sedete |
| loro | si siedono |
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Io mi siedo sulla sedia ogni giorno.” — “I sit down on the chair”
Passato remoto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mi sedetti |
| tu | ti sedesti |
| lui/lei | si sedette |
| noi | ci sedemmo |
| voi | vi sedeste |
| loro | si sedettero |
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 mi sedetti sulla sedia ieri.” — “I sat down on the chair”
Imperfect (imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mi sedevo |
| tu | ti sedevi |
| lui/lei | si sedeva |
| noi | ci sedevamo |
| voi | vi sedevate |
| loro | si sedevano |
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Io mi sedevo sulla sedia una volta.” — “I used to sit down on the chair”
Future (futuro semplice)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mi siederò |
| tu | ti siederai |
| lui/lei | si siederà |
| noi | ci siederemo |
| voi | vi siederete |
| loro | si siederanno |
The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. For example: “Io mi siederò sulla sedia domani.” — “I will sit down on the chair”
Conditional (condizionale)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mi siederei |
| tu | ti siederesti |
| lui/lei | si siederebbe |
| noi | ci siederemmo |
| voi | vi siedereste |
| loro | si siederebbero |
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Io mi siederei sulla sedia un giorno.” — “I would sit down on the chair”
Present perfect (passato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mi sono seduto |
| tu | ti sei seduto |
| lui/lei | si è seduto |
| noi | ci siamo seduto |
| voi | vi siete seduto |
| loro | si sono seduto |
The passato prossimo is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken Italian. For example: “Lui si è seduto sulla sedia questa settimana.” — “He has sat down on the chair”
Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mi ero seduto |
| tu | ti eri seduto |
| lui/lei | si era seduto |
| noi | ci eravamo seduto |
| voi | vi eravate seduto |
| loro | si erano seduto |
The pluperfect is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Io mi ero seduto sulla sedia prima della festa.” — “I had sat down on the chair”
Future perfect (futuro anteriore)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mi sarò seduto |
| tu | ti sarai seduto |
| lui/lei | si sarà seduto |
| noi | ci saremo seduto |
| voi | vi sarete seduto |
| loro | si saranno seduto |
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Io mi sarò seduto sulla sedia per domani.” — “I will have sat down on the chair”
Conditional perfect (condizionale passato)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mi sarei seduto |
| tu | ti saresti seduto |
| lui/lei | si sarebbe seduto |
| noi | ci saremmo seduto |
| voi | vi sareste seduto |
| loro | si sarebbero seduto |
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Io mi sarei seduto sulla sedia ieri.” — “I would have sat down on the chair”
Present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mi sieda |
| tu | ti sieda |
| lui/lei | si sieda |
| noi | ci sediamo |
| voi | vi sediate |
| loro | si siedano |
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after che. For example: “È importante che io mi sieda sulla sedia.” — “It is important that I sit down on the chair”
Imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | mi sedessi |
| tu | ti sedessi |
| lui/lei | si sedesse |
| noi | ci sedessimo |
| voi | vi sedeste |
| loro | si sedessero |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after che, and in if-clauses. For example: “Era importante che io mi sedessi sulla sedia.” — “It was important that I sit down on the chair”
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | siediti |
| lui/lei | si sieda |
| noi | sediamoci |
| voi | sedetevi |
| loro | si siedano |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Siediti sulla sedia!” — “Sit down on the chair!”
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | non ti sedere |
| lui/lei | non si sieda |
| noi | non ci sediamo |
| voi | non vi sediate |
| loro | non si siedano |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Non ti sedere sulla sedia.” — “Do not sit down on the chair.”
Gerund
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Gerund | sedendosi |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with stare for the progressive. For example: “Sedendosi sulla sedia, imparo molto.” — “While sitting down on the chair, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Present participle | sedente |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle sedente 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 | seduto |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Io mi sono seduto sulla sedia questa settimana.” — “I have sat down on the chair.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with sedersi, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Italian and try to produce it from the English.
- “Io mi siedo sulla sedia ogni giorno.” — “I sit down on the chair”
- “Tu ti sedesti sulla sedia ieri.” — “You sat down on the chair”
- “Lui si sedeva sulla sedia una volta.” — “He used to sit down on the chair”
- “Io mi siederò sulla sedia domani.” — “I will sit down on the chair”
- “Tu ti siederesti sulla sedia un giorno.” — “You would sit down on the chair”
- “Lui si è seduto sulla sedia questa settimana.” — “He has sat down on the chair”
- “Io mi ero seduto sulla sedia prima della festa.” — “I had sat down on the chair”
- “Tu ti sarai seduto sulla sedia per domani.” — “You will have sat down on the chair”
- “È importante che io mi sieda sulla sedia.” — “It is important that I sit down on the chair”
- “Siediti sulla sedia!” — “Sit down on the chair!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Io sedersi sulla sedia.”
✓ Right: “Io mi siedo sulla sedia ogni giorno.”
The infinitive sedersi never takes a subject. After io you need the conjugated present form mi siedo.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Io ti siedi sulla sedia.”
✓ Right: “Io mi siedo sulla sedia ogni giorno.”
ti siedi is the tu form, not the io form. Match the verb to the subject every time: io goes with mi siedo.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Io mi siedo sulla sedia ieri.”
✓ Right: “Io mi sono seduto sulla sedia questa settimana.”
Yesterday points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the passato prossimo mi sono seduto for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passato prossimo
✗ Wrong: “Io ho seduto sulla sedia.”
✓ Right: “Io mi sono seduto sulla sedia questa settimana.”
The passato prossimo of sedersi is formed with essere plus the past participle seduto: the io form is mi sono seduto. 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 mi siedo sulla sedia.”
✓ Right: “È importante che io mi sieda sulla sedia.”
After è importante che Italian needs the subjunctive, so use mi sieda here, not the indicative mi siedo.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Io sono sedendosi sulla sedia.”
✓ Right: “Io mi sono seduto sulla sedia questa settimana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle seduto, not the gerund sedendosi. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on sedersi. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the io form of sedersi in the Present indicative?
- A) ti siedi
- B) mi siedo
- C) si siede
- D) ci sediamo
What is the lui/lei form of sedersi in the Passato remoto?
- A) mi sedetti
- B) ti sedesti
- C) si sedette
- D) ci sedemmo
What is the noi form of sedersi in the Imperfect?
- A) mi sedevo
- B) ti sedevi
- C) si sedeva
- D) ci sedevamo
What is the tu form of sedersi in the Future?
- A) ti siederai
- B) mi siederò
- C) si siederà
- D) ci siederemo
What is the io form of sedersi in the Conditional?
- A) ti siederesti
- B) mi siederei
- C) si siederebbe
- D) ci siederemmo
What is the lui/lei form of sedersi in the Present perfect (passato prossimo)?
- A) mi sono seduto
- B) ti sei seduto
- C) si è seduto
- D) ci siamo seduto
What is the lui/lei form of sedersi in the Present subjunctive?
- A) mi sieda
- B) ti sieda
- C) ci sediamo
- D) si sieda
What is the io form of sedersi in the Imperfect subjunctive?
- A) mi sedessi
- B) ti sedessi
- C) si sedesse
- D) ci sedessimo
What is the gerund of sedersi?
- A) seduto
- B) sedendosi
- C) sedersi
- D) mi siedo
What does sedersi mean in English?
- A) to get dressed
- B) to call
- C) to sit down
- D) to look for
Answer key
- B) mi siedo — the correct form is mi siedo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) si sedette — the correct form is si sedette. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) ci sedevamo — the correct form is ci sedevamo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) ti siederai — the correct form is ti siederai. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) mi siederei — the correct form is mi siederei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) si è seduto — the correct form is si è seduto. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) si sieda — the correct form is si sieda. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) mi sedessi — the correct form is mi sedessi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) sedendosi — the correct form is sedendosi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to sit down — the correct form is to sit down. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does sedersi mean in English?
sedersi means “to sit down”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is sedersi regular or irregular?
sedersi is irregular: it is irregular in present, passato-remoto, future, conditional, future-perfect, conditional-perfect, present-subjunctive, imperative-affirmative, imperative-negative. The gerund is sedendosi and the past participle is seduto.
What are the gerund and past participle of sedersi?
The gerund is sedendosi — use it with stare for the progressive. The past participle is seduto — use it with essere for the perfect tenses, as in mi sono seduto.
Which auxiliary does sedersi take in the passato prossimo?
sedersi takes essere in the passato prossimo: the io form is mi sono seduto. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with essere plus the past participle seduto.
How do I say “I sit down” in Italian?
Say “Io mi siedo sulla sedia ogni giorno.” — “I sit down on the chair” The io form of the present is mi siedo, and it is the form you will use most often.
Where does the reflexive pronoun go with sedersi?
Before the conjugated verb in most tenses — mi siedo for io — and attached to the end of the verb in the affirmative imperative and the gerund. In the passato prossimo the pronoun comes before the auxiliary: mi sono seduto.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of sedersi — every tense of sedersi in one place.
- Sedersi in the passato prossimo tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Sedersi 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.
- Tenere conjugation — another everyday Italian verb.
- Scegliere 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 sedersi with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise sedersi with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise sedersi with the interactive tool.