(present, past) Verbs normally have a present participle and a past participle. Unlike other (finite) verb forms, the participle cannot be used on its own but is found together with other verb forms. The past participle is used with the verb avere or essere to form the passato prossimo tense: non abbiamo mangiato gli hamburgers ‘we didn’t eat hamburgers’. When used with essere, it agrees with the subject: nel 2004 siamo andati a Los Angeles ‘in 2004 we went to Los Angeles’. The present participle, less frequently used, changes form when used as an adjective i . . . cantanti.