Skip to content
fluentbyear

ITALIAN VERB

superare

to overcome, to pass (an exam)

  • #264 most used
  • Regular -are verb
  • Past participle: superato
  • Gerund: superando

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

  1. io I overcome
  2. tu you overcome
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she overcomes
  4. noi we overcome
  5. voi you all overcome
  6. loro they overcome

Past

Passato prossimo · finished actions: “ho parlato”

  1. io I overcame
  2. tu you overcame
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she overcame
  4. noi we overcame
  5. voi you all overcame
  6. loro they overcame

Imperfect

Imperfetto · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. io I used to overcome
  2. tu you used to overcome
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she used to overcome
  4. noi we used to overcome
  5. voi you all used to overcome
  6. loro they used to overcome

Future

Futuro semplice · plans and guesses

  1. io I will overcome
  2. tu you will overcome
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she will overcome
  4. noi we will overcome
  5. voi you all will overcome
  6. loro they will overcome

Conditional

Condizionale · “would”, polite requests

  1. io I would overcome
  2. tu you would overcome
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she would overcome
  4. noi we would overcome
  5. voi you all would overcome
  6. loro they would overcome

Present subjunctive

Congiuntivo presente · wishes, doubts, “che …”

  1. io (that) I overcome
  2. tu (that) you overcome
  3. lui, lei, Lei (that) he/she overcome
  4. noi (that) we overcome
  5. voi (that) you all overcome
  6. loro (that) they overcome

Imperative

Imperativo · requests and orders: tu, Lei, noi, voi

  1. tu overcome!
  2. Lei overcome! (formal)
  3. noi overcome! (let’s)
  4. voi overcome! (all of you)

How to use superare

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Il camion ci supera a tutta velocità.

    The truck overtakes us at full speed.

  2. Past

    Ho superato l'esame di guida al primo colpo!

    I passed my driving test on the first try!

  3. Imperfect

    Non superava mai i cento in autostrada.

    He never went over a hundred on the motorway.

  4. Future

    Supererai anche questo momento, vedrai.

    You'll get through this moment too, you'll see.

  5. Conditional

    Con più studio supereresti l'esame facilmente.

    With more study you'd pass the exam easily.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Spero che la febbre non superi i trentotto.

    I hope the fever doesn't go above thirty-eight.

  7. Imperative

    Supera quella macchina, va troppo piano.

    Overtake that car, it's going too slowly.

Good to know

  • Superare un esame is to pass an exam; superare una macchina is to overtake it.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: regular -are verb.