Terminare Conjugation in Italian
terminare means “to end” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Italian learners meet — it sits at number 73 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Italian verbs. It is the verb for ending or finishing something, and it is completely regular in every tense. It is the more formal partner of finire: use terminare for a lesson, a meeting or a piece of work, and finire for everyday finishing. This page gives you the complete conjugation of terminare — 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 termino la lezione ogni giorno.” — “I end the lesson.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: terminare
- English: to end
- Verb type: Regular -are verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: terminando
- Present participle: terminante
- Past participle: terminato
- 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 terminare, 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 terminare in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about terminare
- 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 terminato. 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 terminante and terminato: 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 terminare. 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 | termino |
| tu | termini |
| lui/lei | termina |
| noi | terminiamo |
| voi | terminate |
| loro | terminano |
The present indicative is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Io termino la lezione ogni giorno.” — “I end the lesson”
Passato remoto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | terminai |
| tu | terminasti |
| lui/lei | terminò |
| noi | terminammo |
| voi | terminaste |
| loro | terminarono |
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 terminai la lezione ieri.” — “I ended the lesson”
Imperfect (imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | terminavo |
| tu | terminavi |
| lui/lei | terminava |
| noi | terminavamo |
| voi | terminavate |
| loro | terminavano |
The imperfect is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Io terminavo la lezione una volta.” — “I used to end the lesson”
Future (futuro semplice)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | terminerò |
| tu | terminerai |
| lui/lei | terminerà |
| noi | termineremo |
| voi | terminerete |
| loro | termineranno |
The future is used for what will happen, for predictions and for probability. For example: “Io terminerò la lezione domani.” — “I will end the lesson”
Conditional (condizionale)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | terminerei |
| tu | termineresti |
| lui/lei | terminerebbe |
| noi | termineremmo |
| voi | terminereste |
| loro | terminerebbero |
The conditional is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Io terminerei la lezione un giorno.” — “I would end the lesson”
Present perfect (passato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | ho terminato |
| tu | hai terminato |
| lui/lei | ha terminato |
| noi | abbiamo terminato |
| voi | avete terminato |
| loro | hanno terminato |
The passato prossimo is used for completed actions in the past, especially in spoken Italian. For example: “Lui ha terminato la lezione questa settimana.” — “He has ended the lesson”
Pluperfect (trapassato prossimo)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avevo terminato |
| tu | avevi terminato |
| lui/lei | aveva terminato |
| noi | avevamo terminato |
| voi | avevate terminato |
| loro | avevano terminato |
The pluperfect is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Io avevo terminato la lezione prima della festa.” — “I had ended the lesson”
Future perfect (futuro anteriore)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrò terminato |
| tu | avrai terminato |
| lui/lei | avrà terminato |
| noi | avremo terminato |
| voi | avrete terminato |
| loro | avranno terminato |
The future perfect is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Io avrò terminato la lezione per domani.” — “I will have ended the lesson”
Conditional perfect (condizionale passato)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | avrei terminato |
| tu | avresti terminato |
| lui/lei | avrebbe terminato |
| noi | avremmo terminato |
| voi | avreste terminato |
| loro | avrebbero terminato |
The conditional perfect is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Io avrei terminato la lezione ieri.” — “I would have ended the lesson”
Present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | termini |
| tu | termini |
| lui/lei | termini |
| noi | terminiamo |
| voi | terminiate |
| loro | terminino |
The present subjunctive is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after che. For example: “È importante che io termini la lezione.” — “It is important that I end the lesson”
Imperfect subjunctive (congiuntivo imperfetto)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| io | terminassi |
| tu | terminassi |
| lui/lei | terminasse |
| noi | terminassimo |
| voi | terminaste |
| loro | terminassero |
The imperfect subjunctive is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after che, and in if-clauses. For example: “Era importante che io terminassi la lezione.” — “It was important that I end the lesson”
Imperative (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | termina |
| lui/lei | termini |
| noi | terminiamo |
| voi | terminate |
| loro | terminino |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Termina la lezione!” — “End the lesson!”
Imperative (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | terminare |
| lui/lei | termini |
| noi | terminiamo |
| voi | terminiate |
| loro | terminino |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Non terminare la lezione.” — “Do not end the lesson.”
Gerund
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Gerund | terminando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with stare for the progressive. For example: “Terminando la lezione, imparo molto.” — “While ending the lesson, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Italian |
|---|---|
| Present participle | terminante |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle terminante 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 | terminato |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Io ho terminato la lezione questa settimana.” — “I have ended the lesson.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with terminare, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Italian and try to produce it from the English.
- “Io termino la lezione ogni giorno.” — “I end the lesson”
- “Tu terminasti la lezione ieri.” — “You ended the lesson”
- “Lui terminava la lezione una volta.” — “He used to end the lesson”
- “Io terminerò la lezione domani.” — “I will end the lesson”
- “Tu termineresti la lezione un giorno.” — “You would end the lesson”
- “Lui ha terminato la lezione questa settimana.” — “He has ended the lesson”
- “Io avevo terminato la lezione prima della festa.” — “I had ended the lesson”
- “Tu avrai terminato la lezione per domani.” — “You will have ended the lesson”
- “È importante che io termini la lezione.” — “It is important that I end the lesson”
- “Termina la lezione!” — “End the lesson!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Io terminare la lezione.”
✓ Right: “Io termino la lezione ogni giorno.”
The infinitive terminare never takes a subject. After io you need the conjugated present form termino.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Io termini la lezione.”
✓ Right: “Io termino la lezione ogni giorno.”
termini is the tu form, not the io form. Match the verb to the subject every time: io goes with termino.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Io termino la lezione ieri.”
✓ Right: “Io ho terminato la lezione questa settimana.”
Yesterday points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the passato prossimo ho terminato for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the passato prossimo
✗ Wrong: “Io sono terminato la lezione.”
✓ Right: “Io ho terminato la lezione questa settimana.”
The passato prossimo of terminare is formed with avere plus the past participle terminato: the io form is ho terminato. 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 termino la lezione.”
✓ Right: “È importante che io termini la lezione.”
After è importante che Italian needs the subjunctive, so use termini here, not the indicative termino.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Io ho terminando la lezione.”
✓ Right: “Io ho terminato la lezione questa settimana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle terminato, not the gerund terminando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on terminare. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the io form of terminare in the Present indicative?
- A) termini
- B) termino
- C) termina
- D) terminiamo
What is the lui/lei form of terminare in the Passato remoto?
- A) terminai
- B) terminasti
- C) terminò
- D) terminammo
What is the noi form of terminare in the Imperfect?
- A) terminavo
- B) terminavi
- C) terminava
- D) terminavamo
What is the tu form of terminare in the Future?
- A) terminerai
- B) terminerò
- C) terminerà
- D) termineremo
What is the io form of terminare in the Conditional?
- A) termineresti
- B) terminerei
- C) terminerebbe
- D) termineremmo
What is the lui/lei form of terminare in the Present perfect (passato prossimo)?
- A) ho terminato
- B) hai terminato
- C) ha terminato
- D) abbiamo terminato
What is the lui/lei form of terminare in the Present subjunctive?
- A) terminiamo
- B) terminiate
- C) terminino
- D) termini
What is the io form of terminare in the Imperfect subjunctive?
- A) terminassi
- B) terminasse
- C) terminassimo
- D) terminaste
What is the gerund of terminare?
- A) terminato
- B) terminando
- C) terminare
- D) termino
What does terminare mean in English?
- A) to explain
- B) to answer
- C) to end
- D) to ask
Answer key
- B) termino — the correct form is termino. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) terminò — the correct form is terminò. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) terminavamo — the correct form is terminavamo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) terminerai — the correct form is terminerai. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) terminerei — the correct form is terminerei. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) ha terminato — the correct form is ha terminato. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) termini — the correct form is termini. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) terminassi — the correct form is terminassi. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) terminando — the correct form is terminando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to end — the correct form is to end. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does terminare mean in English?
terminare means “to end”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is terminare regular or irregular?
terminare is regular: it follows the ordinary -are pattern in every tense. The gerund is terminando and the past participle is terminato.
What are the gerund and past participle of terminare?
The gerund is terminando — use it with stare for the progressive. The past participle is terminato — use it with avere for the perfect tenses, as in ho terminato.
Which auxiliary does terminare take in the passato prossimo?
terminare takes avere in the passato prossimo: the io form is ho terminato. All four perfect tenses on this page are built with avere plus the past participle terminato.
How do I say “I end” in Italian?
Say “Io termino la lezione ogni giorno.” — “I end the lesson” The io form of the present is termino, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of terminare — every tense of terminare in one place.
- Terminare in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Terminare 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.
- Spiegare conjugation — another everyday Italian verb.
- Domandare 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 terminare with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise terminare with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise terminare with the interactive tool.