essere
/ˈɛs.se.re/
The Italian verb for 'be' is essere.
essere is used to declare the subject and object identical or equivalent.
Meaning: used to declare the subject and object identical or equivalent (verb)
Which one should you use?
While essere is used for identity and permanent qualities, the verb stare is often used to express location or health in specific contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the present indicative, essere has several forms: sono means 'I am', sei means 'you are' (singular, informal), è means 'he/she/it is', siamo means 'we are' and siete means 'you are' (plural).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɛs.se.re/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 1 of 3.
Did you know?
- To say 'I am hungry', 'I am thirsty', or 'I am cold', Italians do not use essere. Instead, they use the verb avere for 'have', effectively saying 'I have hunger'.
- In Italian, essere is used as an auxiliary verb for many verbs of movement, such as andare for 'go' or venire for 'come'. An English speaker would say 'I have gone', but an Italian says 'I am gone' using sono.
- The expression essere a cavallo literally means 'to be on horseback', but it is used idiomatically to mean that someone is in a winning position or has an advantage.
Examples in context
- Può essere a casa.He may be home.This sentence shows how to use essere to express possibility regarding location.Tatoeba #8502781 by Guybrush88, translation #8477943 by CH
- Non essere un cane.Don't be a dog.This sentence uses essere in an imperative context.Tatoeba #1838956 by Guybrush88, translation #282847 by shekitten
- Ciò non può essere!This can't be!This sentence uses essere to express disbelief.Tatoeba #2959612 by Guybrush88, translation #911241 by papabear
- Sono felice di essere qui.I am happy to be here.
- Sto bene, grazie.I am well, thank you.
- Sono stanco.I am tired.
- Ci sono molti ristoranti in questa città.There are many restaurants in this city.
- Ce l'ho fatta!I made it! / I did it!
- Sono stancaFeminine singular
- 7663 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Martina are talking about their career goals.
- LorenzoCosa vorresti essere in futuro?What would you like to be in the future?
- MartinaVorrei essere una dottoressa.I would like to be a doctor.
- LorenzoÈ un lavoro difficile, ma bello.It is a difficult job, but beautiful.
- MartinaSì, voglio essere utile agli altri.Yes, I want to be useful to others.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “be” translations and entries essere, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
