20 Common Irregular Past Participles in Spanish

Get ready to uncover the multitude of uses for irregular past participles! 

These quirky words aren’t like normal verbs. They throw out the typical Spanish conjugation rules in favor of their own irregular endings. However, this doesn’t make them any less important for learning Spanish! 

Past participles, both regular and irregular, allow you to create passive and descriptive sentences in Spanish. You use them everyday in English without even realizing it! 

This post will help you master the most common irregular past participles in Spanish with explanations, example sentences, and even a quiz!

Let’s get started! 

What Is a Past Participle?

A past participle has two uses. It can either be used as an adjective or as part of a verb phrase. 

Past Participle Examples

I have lost my passport.

My passport is lost.

In both cases, “lost” is the past participle that comes from the verb “to lose.” In the first example, “have lost” together form the present perfect tenses. Past participles are commonly used in verb phrases with “have,” “has,” and “had.” In the second sentence, the word “lost” is an adjective that describes the noun “passport.” 

Now, let’s look at these same sentences in Spanish.

Yo he perdido mi pasaporte.

Mi pasaporte está perdido. 

In these sentences, perdido is the past participle. As you can see, los participios pasados appear the same way in both English and Spanish. 

The only difference is that when a past participle forms an adjective in Spanish, it is subject to change based on the gender and plurality of the nouns, just like any other adjective.

How to Form Regular Past Participles in Spanish

Forming the Spanish past participles is straightforward, and many common irregular verbs actually have a regular past participle form. 

The two rules are as follows:

-AR Verbs

Take off the –ar ending and add –ado.

• Duchar – duchado
• Hablar – hablado
• Pelear – peleado
• Trabajar – trabajado

 -ER and -IR Verbs

Take off the ending and add –ido.

• Comer – comido
• Haber – habido
• Ser – sido
• Tener – tenido

For more past participle practice, check out our tutorials on 

• How to Form and Use Past Participles in Spanish and 
• How to Use the Past Participle as an Adjective in Spanish

Most Common Irregular Past Participles Spanish

Unfortunately, not every verb in Spanish follows the normal grammar rules. Some verbs, called irregular verbs, create their own unique endings. 

By memorizing irregular past participles Spanish words and irregular past participles Spanish conjugation, you can quickly master these quirky verbs!

How To Remember the Irregular Past Participles Spanish

Just like not all English verbs use the regular past participle form of -ed, there are several notable irregular past participles in Spanish as well. 

Interestingly, all the irregular forms come from –er and –ir verbs. All –ar verbs have regular past participle forms. 

There are several different types of irregular past participles Spanish endings. Take a look at each category to help you memorize the most common types of irregular past participles in Spanish!

Irregular Past Participles That Add -CH

Done

Said

Satisfied

Undone

Irregular Past Participles That Add -LT

Acquitted

Broken

Covered

Died

Discovered

Opened

Put

Resolved

Returned

Returned

Seen

Written

Irregular Past Participles With an Accent

Believed

Heard

Laughed

Read

Irregular Past Participles Spanish Sentences

Take a look at these example sentences. By practicing the irregular past participles forms, Spanish will come easier! 

No hemos hecho suficiente trabajo.
We haven’t done enough work.

¿Has oído lo que dijeron de ti?
Have you heard what they said about you?

¿Ya te ha devuelto tu dinero?
Has he already returned the money to you?

Me encanta la comida frita.
I love fried food.

Luckily, you don’t have to memorize all irregular past participles—Spanish conjugators are here to help! 

WordReference is an amazing online tool that can show you any verb’s complete conjugation list. Just type in the infinitive verb and look under the pretérito perfecto section. 

You’ll be speaking Spanish like a pro in no time! 

Irregular Past Participles Spanish Quiz

Now that you’ve reviewed almost all the irregular past participles in Spanish, it’s time to put them into practice. 

Try your hand at these 12 irregular past participles Spanish questions and see how many you can get right!

Select the past participle form of the verb in parenthesis.

Practice Irregular Participles With a Free Class

Not only does learning Spanish grammar level-up your fluency, but it also improves your cognition and decision-making abilities. When you study Spanish conjugation, you’re actually creating new neurons in your brain!

Irregular verbs are a challenging part of language learning. However, it’s always better to embrace these irregularities rather than avoid them! The best way to practice your grammar is with a free class from Homeschool Spanish Academy. 

Check out our affordable prices and our incredible programs in the hands of our certified teachers from Guatemala. Sign up for your free trial class today!

Join one of the 40,000 classes that we teach each month and you can experience results like these

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“HSA offers very affordable, quality, one on one classes with a native speaker. My son has greatly benefited from taking classes. We have seen his confidence increase as well as his pronunciation improve, because he learns from a native Spanish speaker. HSA has quick, personal customer service. Our family has been very pleased with our experience so far!”

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Faustina Mulnik

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

As a native English speaker, I’ve spent over 6 years perfecting my Spanish. My studies have led me to major in Spanish, translate documents at a local museum, and communicate with people I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to know. I’ve studied abroad in Spain, lived in Yellowstone National Park for a summer, and volunteered in Costa Rica. I’m a passionate travel enthusiast seeking to share my love for all things Latin America.

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