When the regular pattern breaks
The regular participle ends in -ado or -ido. Some very common verbs end in -cho or -to instead, and you have to memorise them, just as English has written, seen, done and broken. Many of the same verbs are irregular in both languages (done / hecho, seen / visto, written / escrito, broken / roto), but not all: opened is regular in English, yet the Spanish participle is abierto.
The most important irregular participles
| Infinitive | English | Participle |
|---|---|---|
| hacer | to do, to make → done, made | hecho |
| decir | to say → said | dicho |
| ver | to see → seen | visto |
| escribir | to write → written | escrito |
| poner | to put → put | puesto |
| romper | to break → broken | roto |
| abrir | to open → opened | abierto |
| volver | to return → returned | vuelto |
A verb with a prefix keeps the participle of its base verb, like write / rewrite: devolver (to give back) → devuelto, describir (to describe) → descrito.
In a sentence
¿Qué has hecho hoy?
What have you done today?
No he dicho nada.
I haven't said anything.
¿Has visto las noticias?
Have you seen the news?
He escrito un correo.
I have written an email.
¿Dónde has puesto las llaves?
Where have you put the keys?
Mi hermano ha roto la ventana.
My brother has broken the window.
Han abierto una tienda nueva.
They have opened a new shop.
Todavía no ha vuelto a casa.
He hasn't come home yet.
After haber and as an adjective
Irregular participles behave like the regular ones: after haber they never change, but used as an adjective (typically with estar) they agree with the noun in gender and number. English writes written and open in every case; Spanish does not.
Ella ha escrito la carta.
She has written the letter.
La carta está escrita.
The letter is written.
Las ventanas están abiertas.
The windows are open.
