El verbo essere (Ser y estar en italiano)
Along with avere, the verb essere is one of the most important verbs in Italian. You will use it constantly to introduce yourself, describe people, talk about nationalities, professions, physical and emotional states, as well as to form some compound tenses. Furthermore, it is an irregular verb, so it is best to learn it right from the beginning.
What does essere mean?
The verb essere can be translated as “To be”. Unlike Spanish, a single verb covers both meanings (“ser” and “estar”).
Examples
Sono italiano.
I am Italian.
Sono a casa.
I am at home.
Siamo pronti.
We are ready.
Conjugation of essere in the present tense
This is one of the most important conjugations in Italian and should be memorized.
| Pronoun | Essere | English |
|---|---|---|
| Io | sono | I am |
| Tu | sei | you are |
| Lui / Lei | è | he / she is |
| Noi | siamo | we are |
| Voi | siete | you (plural) are |
| Loro | sono | they are |
Talking about identity
One of the main uses of essere is to indicate who you are.
Nationality
Sono spagnolo.
I am Spanish.
Profession
Mio fratello è medico.
My brother is a doctor.
Name
Sono Marco.
I am Marco.
Describing people and things
Essere is used to talk about physical or personal characteristics.
Example
La casa è grande.
The house is big.
Frequent adjectives
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| alto | tall / high |
| basso | short / low |
| giovane | young |
| vecchio | old |
| bello | nice / beautiful |
| simpatico | friendly / nice |
| intelligente | smart / intelligent |
| felice | happy |
Talking about location
When we want to indicate where someone or something is, we use essere.
Example
Il ristorante è vicino.
The restaurant is nearby.
Frequently asked questions
Dove sei?
Where are you?
Dov’è la stazione?
Where is the station?
Physical and emotional states
Essere is also used to describe how someone feels.
Examples
Sono stanco.
I am tired.
Useful vocabulary
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| stanco | tired |
| felice | happy |
| triste | sad |
| preoccupato | worried |
| arrabbiato | angry |
| tranquillo | calm / quiet |
Telling the time
In Italian, essere is used to tell the time.
Examples
Sono le tre.
It is three o’clock.
Essere as an auxiliary verb
In addition to meaning “to be”, essere is used as an auxiliary verb to form many compound tenses, especially with verbs of movement, changes of state, and reflexive verbs.
Examples
Sei partito ieri?
Did you leave yesterday?
Note that the past participle usually agrees in gender and number with the subject.
Past participle: stato
The past participle of essere is:
stato (masculine singular)
stata (feminine singular)
stati (masculine plural)
state (feminine plural)
Examples
Sono stato a Roma.
I have been to Rome.
Difference between essere and avere
Many students confuse both verbs.
| Spanish | Italian |
|---|---|
| I am a student. | Sono studente. |
| I have a car. | Ho una macchina. |
| I am tired. | Sono stanco. |
| I am hungry. | Ho fame. |
| I am at home. | Sono a casa. |
| I am twenty years old. | Ho vent’anni. |
Remember:
Essere → identity, description, location, and states.
Avere → possession, age, hunger, thirst, sleepiness, and many common expressions.
Common expressions with essere
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| essere pronto | to be ready |
| essere in ritardo | to be late |
| essere puntuale | to be punctual |
| essere sposato | to be married |
| essere libero | to be free |
| essere occupato | to be busy |
| essere sicuro | to be sure |
| essere d’accordo | to agree |
Exercises with the verb essere
Complete with the correct form of essere
