Past Participle
To form the past participle, simply drop the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, -ir) and add: -ado (for -ar verbs) -ido (for -er, ir verbs) hablar - ar + ado = hablado comer - er + ido = comido vivir - ir + ido = vivido
Most past participles can be used as adjectives. Like other adjectives, they agree in gender and number with the nouns that they modify. La puerta está cerrada. The door is closed. Las puertas están cerradas. The doors are closed. El restaurante está abierto. The restaurant is open. Los restaurantes están abiertos. The restaurants are open.
Here is a table to help you decide the ending of the past participle: SingularPlural Masculine-ado -ido -ados -idos Feminine-ada -ida -adas -idas
Note that for -er and -ir verbs, if the stem ends in a vowel, a written accent will be required. creer – creído oír - oído Note: this rule does not apply, and no written accent is required for verbs ending in -uir. (construir, seguir, influir, distinguir, etc.)
Irregulars abrir (to open) - abierto (open) cubrir (to cover) - cubierto (covered) decir (to say) - dicho (said) escribir (to write) - escrito (written) freír (to fry) - frito (fried) hacer (to do) - hecho (done) morir (to die) - muerto (dead) poner (to put) - puesto (put) resolver (to resolve) - resuelto (resolved) romper (to break) - roto (broken) ver (to see) - visto (seen) volver (to return) - vuelto (returned)
Note that compound verbs based on the irregular verbs inherit the same irregularities. Here are a few examples: componer - compuesto describir - descrito devolver - devuelto
The past participle can be combined with the verb "ser" to express the passive voice. Use this construction when an action is being described, and introduce the doer of the action with the word "por." La casa fue construida por los carpinteros. The house was built by the carpenters. La tienda es abierta todos los días por el dueño. The store is opened every day by the owner.