Italian Grammar Bank
ESSERE VS. STARE CONJUGATIONS
Choosing between essere (to be) and stare (to stay) can be tricky, but don’t worry! We’ve got your back.
In this guide, we’ll look at the present simple conjugation of the two verbs and then explain in detail how and when to use each of the two words, providing many real-life examples.
CONJUGATION
First of all, as a refresher, let’s look at the conjugations of “essere” and “stare” in the indicativo presente:
| Indicativo Presente – essere (to be) | Indicativo Presente – stare (to stay) |
|---|---|
| io sono | io sto |
| tu sei | tu stai |
| lui è | lui sta |
| noi siamo | noi stiamo |
| voi siete | voi state |
| loro sono | loro stanno |
MEANING & EXAMPLES
Like many languages deriving from Latin, Italian has two verbs used to describe a state of being: “essere” and “stare”.
The meaning of “stare” is closer to the idea of “to stay” than “essere”, which is very similar to the English verb “to be”.
“Stare” suggests persistence and continuity in time (including finite periods of time), while “essere” has a more descriptive and general meaning.
WHEN TO USE “ESSERE”
- To define identity or qualities: if you want to make a statement describing the identity or attributing an adjective to something or someone, you use “essere”. In Italian grammar, this use is called “predicato nominale”.
| Iosonospagnolo. | I am Spanish. |
| Quel maglione è nuovo? | Is that sweater new? |
| Sei il migliore! | You’re the best! |
- In existential clauses: we use “essere” for sentences like “there is…”, “here are…”. In these cases, you use this particular structure:
PATTERN
Ci + Essere
| Ci sono troppe pagine da studiare. | There are too many pages to study. |
| Ci sei domani? | Are you gonna be there tomorrow? (It can also mean “are you free tomorrow?”) |
| Non c’è nessuno. | Nobody’s there. |
- To talk about where something is:
| Sietea casa? | Are you at home? |
| Sono al lavoro. | I’m at work. |
| Le tue chiavi sonosul tavolo. | Your keys are on the table. |
- To tell the time and date:
| Sono le quattro e mezza. | It’s half past four. |
| Oggi è il cinque Aprile. | Today is April 5th. |
- To express possession:
| La moto è di Giovanni. | The motorbike is Giovanni’s. |
| Il pallone è mio. | The ball is mine. |
WHEN TO USE “STARE”
- To emphasize the permanence of an object in a certain place, rather than it being there at a certain point in time (like we did in the examples right above using “essere”):
| Statedavvero a casa? | Are you really staying at home? |
| Nonstiamoda Paolo. | We are not staying at Paolo’s place. |
- To talk about something’s assigned place (you can also use “andare“):
| Le scarpe stanno/vanno nella scarpiera, non per terra. | Shoes go in the shoe rack, not on the floor. (Meaning it’s their assigned place and where they belong) |
- To describe the state of the subject, meaning “to feel a certain way”, mainly to talk about someone’s physical or mental state. In this case, stare is followed by adverbs or adjectives:
| Stobene. | I’m fine. |
| Sto male. | I’m unwell. |
| State attenti a non cadere. | Be careful not to fall. |
View More Examples:
| Stai tranquillo, non c’è problema. | Don’t worry, there’s no problem. |
| Stai fermo! | Stay still! |
Pay attention: “sono calmi” means “they are careful” (it’s a general quality: “they are careful people”), while “stanno attenti” means “they’re being careful” (it’s a current state).
- To say “to be about to”; in this case, we use the structure:
PATTERN
Stare + Per
| Sta per piovere. | It’s about to rain. |
| Sto per esplodere. | I’m about to explode. |
- “To go well with…”; in this case, we use the structure:
PATTERN
Stare + Bene/Mele + Con
| Il blu non sta bene col nero. | Blue doesn’t go well with black. |
| Il vino bianco sta bene col pesce. | White wine goes well with fish. |
- “To fit” in this case, “stare” is preceded by the particle “ci”:
| Non ci sta! | It doesn’t fit! |
| In queste tasche non ci sta niente. | Nothing fits in this pockets |
- “To look good/bad on someone”; in this case, “stare” is preceded by a pronoun particle:
| Ti sta bene quel colore. | That color looks good on you. |
| Non mi sta bene niente! | Nothing looks good on me! |
AS AUXILIARIES
Both “essere” and “stare” can be auxiliaries, but their functions are different:
- “Essere” can be used to create composite tenses of intransitive verbs or passive and reflexive forms:
| Sono andatoin vacanza. | I went on a holiday. |
| Mi sono appena alzata. | I just got up. |
| La mail è scritta in inglese. | The e-mail is written in English. |
- “Stare” can be used with gerunds to create the Present Progressive, for actions in progress:
| Sto tornandoa casa dal lavoro. | I’m getting home from work. |
| Cosastate facendo? | What are you doing? |
That’s all! Stare and Essere are two very important verbs, and they’re used to express a variety of different meanings, and you can find them in music, films and everyday conversations: just pick your favourite way to practice!
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FAQs
What is the basic difference between “essere” and “stare” in Italian?
“Essere” is used to describe identity, qualities, and more general states of being, while “stare” is closer to the idea of “to stay” and emphasizes persistence and continuity in time.
Can both “essere” and “stare” be auxiliaries in Italian?
Yes, both “essere” and “stare” can be auxiliaries, but they serve different functions.
“Essere” is used for composite tenses of intransitive verbs or passive and reflexive forms, while “stare” is used with gerunds to create the Present Progressive.
How can I differentiate between “essere” and “stare” when talking about location?
“Essere” is used to talk about a general location or location in a specific time, while “stare” is used to emphasize the permanence of an object in a specific place, or the fact that something belongs somewhere.
How do I express the idea of being about to do something in Italian using “stare”?
Use “stare” followed by the preposition “per.” For example, “Sta per partire!” (It’s about to leave) or “Stavo per arrabbiarmi” (I was about to get angry).
Is there a difference when using “essere” and “stare” to talk about feelings or states?
Yes, there is a difference.
“Essere” is more about the general state, while “stare” is used to describe how someone is feeling at a specific moment.
What situations call for the use of “stare” in Italian?
Use “stare” to emphasize the permanence of an object in a certain place, describe the state of the subject (physical or mental), and express feelings or sensations.