⏱️ 2 min practice • 🔥 CEFR A2

succedere

Impersonal / Eventive Level A2 ⭐ #41 Most Common

English translation: to happen / to succeed (follow after)

Stem Pattern: succede, succedono / è successo (auxiliary: essere)
💡 Key Usage Note: In the meaning 'to happen', it is almost exclusively conjugated in the 3rd person singular and plural with auxiliary 'essere'.
📘 Linguistic Rule: Auxiliary is strictly essere: 'Che cosa è successo?' (What happened?). Passato remoto: successe / successero. Participle: successo.
⚖️ Succedere vs Accadere (Synonyms for 'to happen')
View ACCADERE →
🔊 Speed:

Present (Presente)

Happening now.

Subject Pronoun Conjugation Audio
lui/lei/Lei succede
loro succedono
io succedo
tu succedi
noi succediamo
voi succedete
💡 Tip: Click any row's audio button to hear native pronunciation
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AI Smart Tutor: 'SUCCEDERE' Insights

Linguistic breakdowns & native shortcuts

Smart Tips
🧠 Memory Trick (Mnemonic)

Cognate with 'succession' and 'events succeed each other'.

⚠️ Most Common Student Mistake
✗ Don't say: Che cosa ha successo?
✓ Say instead: Che cosa è successo?

Why: In Italian, event verbs ('happen') take 'essere': è successo (never ha successo).

🗣️ Essential Native Idioms with 'succedere'
Succeda quel che succeda

= Come what may / whatever happens

"Noi andiamo avanti, succeda quel che succeda."

Non è successo niente

= Nothing happened / everything is fine

"Tranquillo, non è successo niente di grave."

🎴 Flashcard Practice Mode

Flip through pronouns to test active recall for 'succedere'

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Present
lui/lei/Lei

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Answer
succede

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❓

Frequently Asked Questions: SUCCEDERE

Is "succedere" a regular or irregular verb in Italian? ▾

"succedere" is classified as a Impersonal / Eventive verb in Italian. Its characteristic conjugation pattern is "succede, succedono / è successo (auxiliary: essere)". Auxiliary is strictly essere: 'Che cosa è successo?' (What happened?). Passato remoto: successe / successero. Participle: successo. In the meaning 'to happen', it is almost exclusively conjugated in the 3rd person singular and plural with auxiliary 'essere'.

What does "succedere" mean in English? ▾

In English, "succedere" translates primarily to "to happen / to succeed (follow after)". In natural speech, it is commonly used across CEFR level A2 contexts for everyday communication.

What is the most frequent mistake learners make with "succedere"? ▾

A frequent error is saying "Che cosa ha successo?" instead of "Che cosa è successo?". Why? In Italian, event verbs ('happen') take 'essere': è successo (never ha successo).

What are common idioms or expressions with "succedere"? ▾

A popular idiom is "Succeda quel che succeda" which means "Come what may / whatever happens" (e.g. "Noi andiamo avanti, succeda quel che succeda.").

How can I practice and memorize "succedere" conjugations? ▾

Use Verbpedia's built-in interactive flashcards, pronounce each form using native Web Speech audio, and complete the instant mini-quiz below. You can also print a distraction-free A4 cheat sheet using the Print button above.

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Quick Practice: Fill in the Blanks

Test your understanding of 'succedere' across tenses

Interactive Quiz
Question 1 ()

How do you ask 'What happened?' in Italian?

Other Important Italian Verbs to Study

essere Irregular

to be

avere Irregular

to have

fare Irregular

to do / to make

andare Irregular

to go

potere Irregular

can / to be able to

vedere Irregular

to see / watch

prendere Irregular

to take / catch / have (food)

stare Irregular

to stay / be (feeling/health)

dare Irregular 1st Conj

to give

sapere Irregular 2nd Conj

to know (facts, how to)

venire Irregular (-ire)

to come

dovere Irregular Modal (-ere)

to have to / must

uscire Irregular (-ire)

to go out / exit

bere Irregular (Contracted)

to drink

dire Irregular (Contracted)

to say / to tell

morire Irregular (-ire with diphthong)

to die

credere Regular (-ere verb)

to believe / to trust

mettere Irregular (Past: misi, messo)

to put / to place / to set

sentire Regular (-ire verb)

to hear / to feel / to smell

capire Stem-Infixing (-isc- group)

to understand / to figure out

aprire Irregular Participle (aperto)

to open / to unlock

leggere Irregular (Past: lessi, letto)

to read / to interpret

vivere Irregular

to live / to reside / to experience

chiudere Irregular

to close / to shut

finire Inchoative -isc- verb

to finish / to end

pensare Regular -are

to think / to ponder

portare Regular -are

to bring / to carry / to wear (clothes)

restare Regular -are

to remain / to stay

piacere Irregular (Inverted Syntax)

to like / to please

salire Irregular (-ire)

to go up / to climb / to board

scegliere Irregular (-gliere)

to choose / to select

chiedere Irregular Participle

to ask / to request

perdere Irregular Participle

to lose / to miss (train/opportunity)

vincere Irregular Participle

to win / to conquer

tacere Irregular 2nd Conjugation (-ere)

to be silent / to keep quiet

tenere Irregular in -ng-

to hold / to keep

ridere Irregular Past (Passato Remoto & Participle)

to laugh

proporre Contracted Infinitive (-porre from Latin ponere)

to propose / to suggest

accadere Defective Eventive Verb

to occur / to happen (formal/literary)

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