Irregular past participles ending in "-to"
You already know that regular past participles end in -ado or -ido. However, some of the most common verbs in Spanish have highly irregular past participles that end in -to.
Here are the essential irregular -to forms you need to know:
| Verb | Meaning | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| ver | to see | visto |
| volver | to return | vuelto |
| escribir | to write | escrito |
| romper | to break | roto |
| poner | to put / place | puesto |
| abrir | to open | abierto |
| cubrir | to cover | cubierto |
You use these exactly like regular participles, combining them with the verb haber to talk about things that have happened.
| Have you seen the storm this morning? | ¿Has visto la tormenta esta mañana? |
| The storm has returned today. | La tormenta ha vuelto hoy. |
Reporting damage and events
These irregular forms are especially useful when talking about accidents, severe weather, or reporting property damage.
| The wind has broken my umbrella. | El viento ha roto mi paraguas. |
| I have written a message about the storm. | He escrito un mensaje sobre la tormenta. |
| My brother has opened the roof door. | Mi hermano ha abierto la puerta del tejado. |
Participles as adjectives
Just like regular past participles, these irregular -to forms can be used with haber to say what has happened, or with estar to describe the current condition of an object.
Notice in the following example how the participle of cubrir forms the present perfect, while roto is used alongside estar as an adjective to describe the broken glass:
| We have covered the glass because it is broken. | Hemos cubierto el cristal porque está roto. |