Italian Grammar Bank
HOW TO USE STARE & RESTARE
In this lesson we teach you how to use stare, restare, and rimanere, that are known to be a bit confusing for students.
They all mean something similar to “to stay” or “to remain,” but each has its own specificities.
PRESENT TENSE CONJUGATION
| PRONOUN | STARE | RESTARE | RIMANERE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Io | sto | resto | rimango |
| Tu | stai | resti | rimani |
| Lui/Lei | sta | resta | rimane |
| Noi | stiamo | restiamo | rimaniamo |
| Voi | state | restate | rimanete |
| Loro | stanno | restano | rimangono |
STARE
Think of stare as the relaxed verb.
It’s used for temporary states, locations, and expressions related to health or emotions.
It’s also common in continuous tenses (just like “to be” in English with the progressive form).
When to use stare
For physical locations:
| Sto a casa oggi. | I’m staying at home today. |
| Stiamo al bar fino alle otto. | We’re staying at the bar until eight. |
| Lui sta in ufficio per un’ora. | He’s at the office for an hour. |
| Stai ancora in macchina? | Are you still in the car? |
| Sta in vacanza in Spagna. | He’s on vacation in Spain. |
Health and emotions
| Come stai? | How are you? |
| Sto bene, grazie! | I’m fine, thanks! |
| Luca sta male oggi. | Luca is feeling sick today. |
| Stavamo male dopo quel viaggio. | We felt bad after that trip. |
| Stai attento! | Be careful! |
Progressive tenses
| Sto mangiando. | I am eating. |
| Stavamo studiando per l’esame. | We were studying for the exam. |
| Cosa stai facendo? | What are you doing? |
| Stanno ridendo come pazzi! | They’re laughing like crazy! |
| Stai sempre guardando il telefono! | You’re always looking at your phone! |
RESTARE
Restare is like that friend who never leaves your side.
It implies staying somewhere with a sense of stability, not just temporarily.
It can also mean staying behind when others leave.
When to use restare
Staying in a place, often more permanently
| Resto a Roma per sempre! | I’m staying in Rome forever! |
| Loro restano in Italia per tre mesi. | They’re staying in Italy for three months. |
| Sono restato in ufficio fino a tardi. | I stayed at the office until late. |
| Resteremo in albergo tutto il weekend. | We will stay at the hotel all weekend. |
| Lei resta a scuola dopo le lezioni. | She stays at school after classes. |
Remaining in a state or condition
| Restiamo amici, ok? | Let’s stay friends, okay? |
| Sono restati sorpresi dalla notizia. | They remained surprised by the news. |
| Restiamo in contatto! | Let’s stay in touch! |
| Il cielo resta nuvoloso oggi. | The sky remains cloudy today. |
| Resto convinto della mia scelta. | I remain convinced of my choice. |
Not leaving when others do
| Tutti sono andati via, ma io resto qui. | Everyone left, but I’m staying here. |
| Restate ancora un po’? | Are you staying a little longer? |
| Loro restano fino alla fine del concerto. | They are staying until the end of the concert. |
| Sono restato solo in casa. | I stayed home alone. |
| Lei è restata al lavoro dopo la riunione. | She stayed at work after the meeting. |
RIMANERE
Rimanere is a bit more emotional. It often suggests surprise, deep feelings, or unexpected situations. It also means “to be left” with something.
When to use rimanere
Remaining as a result of something
| Sono rimasto scioccato! | I was shocked! |
| Luca è rimasto deluso dalla cena. | Luca was disappointed by the dinner. |
| Siamo rimasti senza parole. | We were left speechless. |
| Lei è rimasta sorpresa dalla tua risposta. | She was surprised by your answer. |
| Rimaniamo sempre stupiti da questo film. | We are always amazed by this movie. |
Physically staying somewhere, often involuntarily
| Rimango in ufficio fino alle sei. | I’m staying in the office until six. |
| Lui è rimasto a casa malato. | He stayed home sick. |
| Siamo rimasti in città per lavoro. | We stayed in the city for work. |
| Se rimani qui, ti annoierai! | If you stay here, you’ll get bored! |
| Rimango ancora un po’. | I’ll stay a little longer. |
Being left with something
| Mi rimane solo un euro! | I only have one euro left! |
| Ti rimangono pochi giorni di vacanza. | You have only a few days of vacation left. |
| Ci rimangono solo due biglietti! | We only have two tickets left! |
| Non mi rimane altro da dire. | I have nothing left to say. |
| Ti rimangono pochi minuti! | You have only a few minutes left! |
SUMMARY
| verb | key idea | example |
|---|---|---|
| Stare | Temporary location, health, progressive tenses | Sto a casa, Sto male, Sto mangiando |
| Restare | Staying in a place longer, stability | Resto a Roma, Restiamo amici |
| Rimanere | Emotional reaction, being left with something | Sono rimasto sorpreso, Mi rimane un euro |
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FAQs
What difference between stare, restare, rimanere?
While all three can mean “to stay” or “to remain”, stare often relates to physical position or temporary state.
Restare implies staying behind or not leaving, and rimanere emphasizes a change of plans or conditions.
Can stare be used to express feelings?
Yes.
Stare is commonly used to express wellbeing or physical condition, as in “Come stai?” (How are you?).
Are “restare” and “rimanere” interchangeable?
In many cases, yes, but “rimanere” tends to be slightly more formal and is often used in figurative contexts, such as “rimanere sorpreso” (to be surprised).
How do them conjugate in the present tense?
All three are irregular verbs:
Stare: sto, stai, sta, stiamo, state, stanno
Restare: resto, resti, resta, restiamo, restate, restano
Rimanere: rimango, rimani, rimane, rimaniamo, rimanete, rimangono
Can these verbs be used reflexively?
Yes, especially “stare” and “rimanere” in certain expressions like “starsi buono” (to behave) or “rimanersi male” (to feel bad), though reflexive usage is less frequent.
Can I learn Italian with LTL?
Yes!
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