G 1.2 – Subject pronouns and Essere / Stare
G1.2 – Subject pronouns
In Italian there are 6 different subject and they are used as follow:
 |
 |
 |
| io = I | tu = you (singular)
Lei = you (formal) |
lui / lei = he / she |
 |
 |
 |
| noi = we | voi = you (plural) | loro = they (informal
Loro = you (formal) |
- In Italian the conjugated verb takes a different form for each subject pronouns, for this reason subject pronouns can be omitted in written and oral communication.
Example:
Come stai (tu)? (io) sto bene grazie.
- In Italian different pronouns should be used when addressing people in formal or informal situations.
The formal address is used in formal settings as: universities, restaurants, shops, hospitals etc. and it is used with unknown people, older people or people that have a position in a formal setting as: bosses, professors, doctors, police officers.
To address people formally you have to use the subject pronoun Lei (you singular) and Loro (you plural). Both these pronouns are capitalized when written to indicate that they are used in the formal way.
Essere e Stare – The verb To be
Essere
The verb essere (to be) is used when giving personal information like name, place of origin, or a description.
Example:
- Ciao, sono Pietro e sono di Milano. Voi di dove siete?
- Ciao Pietro! Noi siamo di Roma.
| Subject Pronoun | Verb | Translation in English |
| io | sono | I am |
| tu | sei | you are (singular) |
| lui/lei | è | he/she is |
| Lei | è | you (singular formal) |
| noi | siamo | we are |
| voi | siete | you are (plural) |
| loro
Loro |
sono
sono |
they are
you are (plural formal) |
Stare
The verb stare (to stay; to be) is used when expressing how a person is doing or feeling.
Example:
- Marco, come stai?
- Sto bene, grazie. E voi?
- Stiamo bene!
| Subject Pronoun | Verb | Translation in English |
| io | sto | I am |
| tu | stai | you are (singular) |
| lui/lei | sta | he/she is |
| Lei | sta | you are (singular formal) |
| noi | stiamo | we are |
| voi | state | you are (plural informal) |
| loro
Loro |
stanno
stanno |
they are
you are (plural formal) |
Il verbo AVERE – the verb TO HAVE (study in unit 2)
| Subject Pronoun | Avere | to have |
| io | ho | I have |
| tu | hai | you have |
| lui/lei | ha | he/she has |
| Lei | ha | you have (singular formal) |
| noi | abbiamo | we have |
| voi | avete | you have (plural informal) |
| loro
Loro |
hanno
hanno |
they have
you have (plural formal) |
The verb avere (to have) indicates ownership or possession. It is also used to express the age of a person. The verb Avere is also used in other fixed expressions that you will learn in the following units.
The letter H in the forms ho / hai / ha / hanno is silent and it is used only to set them apart from other words that may be confused. Example: the form hanno and the noun anno (year).
- Io ho una macchina rossa -> I have a red car
- Tu hai tredici anni -> You are 13 years old
