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First Steps

Pronouns and the verbs essere, avere, stare

  1. 1

    Ciao! — and who's who

    Greet people the Italian way and meet the subject pronouns — including the polite Lei.

    • Ciao is hi and bye, but only with friends; Buongiorno / Buonasera work with anyone.
    • Come stai? — Bene, grazie. E tu? Piacere! when you meet someone new.
    • The pronouns: io, tu, lui / lei, Lei, noi, voi, loro.
    • Tu is the everyday “you”; Lei is the polite “you” for one person.
    • Voi is “you” for any group, friends or strangers.
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  2. 2

    Essere: who you are

    The verb for identity, origin, nationality, profession and place — and how to introduce yourself.

    • Essere is “to be” for identity, origin, nationality, profession and place.
    • Present forms: sono, sei, è, siamo, siete, sono.
    • È (is) needs its accent — e without it means and.
    • Home town is essere di: Sono di Berlino. Nationalities take a small letter: tedesca.
    • Usually no article before a bare profession: Sono studentessa.
    • The pronoun is usually dropped: Sono Marina rather than Io sono Marina.
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  3. 3

    Stare: how you're doing

    The second “to be”: asking how someone is, staying put — and why “I'm tired” still takes essere.

    • Stare: sto, stai, sta, stiamo, state, stanno.
    • Come stai? to a friend, Come sta? with Lei — Come va? with anyone.
    • Stare for bene, male, così così and for staying: Sto a casa.
    • Essere for nearly everything else, moods and places included: Sono stanca. Sono a Firenze.
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  4. 4

    Avere: what you have

    Possession, age, hunger and thirst with avere — then essere, stare and avere side by side.

    • Avere: ho, hai, ha, abbiamo, avete, hanno — the h is always silent.
    • Age takes avere: Ho vent'anni. — Quanti anni hai?
    • So do hunger, thirst and more: avere fame, sete, sonno, freddo, caldo, fretta, ragione.
    • The three core verbs: essere (who and what), stare (bene / male, staying), avere (having).
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