New concept

Mancare: missing someone

To say you miss someone or something, Italian uses mancare — and it works exactly like piacere. The thing or person you miss is the subject; you are the small pronoun:

Mi manca Firenze. — literally Florence is missing to me → I miss Florence.

One thing / person Several
Mi manca mia madre. — I miss my mum. Mi mancano i miei amici. — I miss my friends.
Ci manca il mare. — We miss the sea. Gli mancano le piazze di Firenze. — He misses Florence's squares.

Now the tricky part — talking to the person you miss:

  • Mi manchi. — I miss you. (you are missing to me)
  • Ti manco? — Do you miss me? (am I missing to you?)
  • Mi mancherai / mi mancherete. — I'll miss you / I'll miss you all.
  • Past, with essere — agreeing with the person missed: Mi sei mancata tanto, mamma! — I missed you so much, Mum!