The verb ESSERE (The verb TO BE)

  Watch the two videos. Write first the expressions you already know.  Then study the new vocabulary below.

First listen to the words and repeat them several times. Then write down all the words in a notebook.  At this point read and pronounce the new words.

Scusa (Excuse me [Informal]) Scusi (Excuse me [Formal]) Sì (Yes) No (No) Che cosa… ?/ Cosa….. ?/ Che ….. ? (What…?) Chi ……? (Who…?) Ecco (Look! / Here/There is) Per favore / Per piacere (Please) Grazie (Thank you) Di niente (It’s nothing) Prego (You’re Welcome) Stazione (Station) Treno (Train) Bar (Bar) Caffè (Coffee)

  Listen to the audio file and write the words you hear

The verb essere

Grammar

Essere is an irregular verb; it does not follow a predictable pattern of conjugation. Essere means “to be” in Italian. Just like in English, the verb essere is critical to expressing many things. Essere can express existence, which refers to an intrinsic quality or a condition, both temporary and permanent, and can be followed by an adjective (felice ‘happy’, stanco ‘tired’ etc.): Sei una persona magnifica (‘You are a wonderful person’); Sono stanchissimo (‘I’m very tired’). You already know that in English the verb to be has several forms depending on the subject. I am, you are, he/she is, we are, and they are. Italian is no different, you need to use the correct form combined with the correct subject.

Now, you have probably noticed that there are three different forms of ‘you’ are in Italian. Let’s take a look at why. Tu sei is familiar singular ‘you are’. You would use it with a friend, a family member, or a child. Lei è is the formal ‘you are’, still singular. You would use it with someone you don’t know or someone you don’t know very well. Voi siete is the plural ‘you (all) are’ form, kind of like an English y’all.

The negative of a verb is formed by placing non before the verb: Io non sono il professore d’italiano (“I am not the Italian professor”); Tu non sei il mio amico (“You are not my friend”); Lui non è bello (“He is not handsome”); etc. The subject pronouns (io, tu, etc.) may be omitted in Italian except when necessary: (1) for clarity, (2) when emphasis or contrast is desired: Sei pronto? (“Are you ready?”); Sono stanco (“I’m tired”); Siamo studenti (“We are students”).

A tiny little accent can change the meaning of a word. You may have already noticed the word è (he/she/it is) and its accent. This accent distinguishes this word from another little word e (and), which looks the same but has another meaning. È (è) is slightly more open, as in hell whereas the word e sounds more like the e in gourmet. Note the difference: è = he/she/it is and e = and.è      e

Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verb essere
Maria mia amica.
Io uno studente
Buongiorno avvocato! Lei molto gentile.
Maria e Luisa studentesse italiane.
Roma la capitale italiana.
Tu un bravo dottore.
Voi alti.
La mia città piccola.
Gianni un architetto.
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verb essere
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How many Italian American do you know. Check this list. You might be surprised.