Italian grammar
Il passato: ho lavorato, hai lavorato, ha lavorato
Say what you did yesterday.
From the scene Cosa hai fatto ieri? (What did you do yesterday?)
In short
For finished actions use avere plus the past participle: ho lavorato. -are verbs make it with -ato.
- I worked ho lavorato
- you worked hai lavorato
- he / she worked ha lavorato
- I had dinner ho cenato
Your turn
Which one goes with you worked?
Options: ho lavorato · ha lavorato · hai lavorato
Show answer
you worked → hai lavorato
How it works
For finished actions (yesterday, last night), use avere + the past participle, the verb form like lavorato.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
A casa sua. Javi (blank) una paella.
Clue: yesterday
Options: ha cucinato · cucina · ho cucinato
Show answer
A casa sua. Javi ha cucinato una paella.
At his place. Javi cooked a paella.
Good to know
Ho lavorato (I worked), hai lavorato (you worked), ha lavorato (he / she worked). For -are verbs the past participle ends in -ato: lavorare → lavorato.
Good to know
Some verbs, mostly about going and coming, use essere instead: Javi è passato.
I worked ho lavorato
Nuria
Ieri ho lavorato tutto il giorno.
Yesterday I worked all day.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Ieri (blank) tutto il giorno.
Options: ho lavorato · hai lavorato · ha lavorato
Show answer
Nuria
Ieri ho lavorato tutto il giorno.
Yesterday I worked all day.
you worked hai lavorato
Your turn
What goes with hai lavorato?
Options: I worked · he / she worked · you worked
Show answer
hai lavorato → you worked
he / she worked ha lavorato
I had dinner ho cenato
Nuria
Sì, ho cenato con Javi.
Yes, I had dinner with Javi.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Sì, (blank) con Javi.
Options: ho cenato · ho lavorato · hai lavorato
Show answer
Nuria
Sì, ho cenato con Javi.
Yes, I had dinner with Javi.
Common mistake
Not Ho cenato or Ha cenato here. Elena asks Nuria (she says tu to her).
E la sera? Hai cenato fuori?
And in the evening? Did you have dinner out?
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| I worked | ho lavorato |
|---|---|
| you worked | hai lavorato |
| he / she worked | ha lavorato |
| I had dinner | ho cenato |
More lines from the story
- ElenaE la sera? Hai cenato fuori?And in the evening? Did you have dinner out?
- NuriaA casa sua. Javi ha cucinato una paella.At his place. Javi cooked a paella.
- ElenaCara, Javi è passato sotto la mia finestra. Con te. Due volte.Dear, Javi walked past my window. With you. Twice.