Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to be" in Italian: essere
essere
To be in Italian is essere (EHS-seh-reh). Use it for identity, origin, and lasting qualities: sono italiano, lei è insegnante. Temporary feelings often prefer stare, but essere remains the core verb for what something is.
Introducing yourself
Essere puntuali è importante il primo giorno.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce essere
Say it
EHS-seh-reh
/ˈes.se.re/
Essere stresses the first syllable: EHS-seh-reh. Double s is held. The final -ere is light.
"to be" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| essere | to be Infinitive; also the noun sense "being" in rare contexts. | Infinitive; also the noun sense "being" in rare contexts. |
| sono / sei / è | I am / you are / he-she-it is Core present forms to memorise first. | Core present forms to memorise first. |
| siamo / siete / sono | we are / you plural are / they are Rest of the present tense. | Rest of the present tense. |
| essere + adjective | to be + quality È alto, è interessante, è importante. | È alto, è interessante, è importante. |
How to use essere in real life
- 1Introducing yourself
Essere puntuali è importante il primo giorno.
Being on time matters on the first day.
The infinitive essere works as the subject here.
- 2Talking about jobs
Lui vuole essere medico a Torino.
He wants to be a doctor in Turin.
Essere after a verb like vuole.
- 3Naming origin
Noi siamo di Firenze: essere toscani ci piace.
We are from Florence: we like being Tuscan.
Siamo is a form of essere; the infinitive repeats the idea.
Mistakes English speakers make with essere
Incorrect: Io essere stanco.
Correct: Sono stanco. / Sto stanco.
Conjugate essere. For tiredness many speakers prefer sto stanco with stare.
Incorrect: Dopo essere: lei è una insegnante.
Correct: Lei è insegnante.
Italian usually drops the indefinite article with professions after essere.
Good to know
Learners meet a split between essere and stare early. Essere covers essence and identity; stare covers many temporary states and locations in set phrases. Mastering essere first still unlocks the biggest share of descriptions.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting classmates on day one
ChatPal
Ciao! Io sono Luca. Piacere di essere qui con voi.
Hi! I'm Luca. Nice to be here with you.
You
Piacere, Luca. Io sono Maya. Di dove sei?
Nice to meet you, Luca. I'm Maya. Where are you from?
ChatPal
Sono di Napoli. Essere nuovi insieme aiuta, no?
I'm from Naples. Being new together helps, right?
You
Sì! Siamo tutti un po' nervosi il primo giorno.
Yes! We're all a bit nervous on the first day.
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Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to be" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to be" in Italian
What are the present forms of essere?
Sono, sei, è, siamo, siete, sono. The io and loro forms look the same: sono.
When do I use essere vs stare?
Use essere for who or what something is. Use stare for many temporary states (sto bene) and some location phrases.
How do I say I am a student?
Sono studente or sono studentessa. No indefinite article needed after essere for professions and roles.
Is è written with an accent?
Yes. È (is) takes an accent so you do not confuse it with e meaning and.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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