italiano · A1 · verb · 4 minutes
Essere: present tense
Master identity, location, description, and origin with six irregular forms.
Understand the choice
Essere links the subject to identity, nationality, description, and location. Subject pronouns are often omitted, so the verb form must remain instantly recognizable.
Core rule: Essere is irregular: sono, sei, è, siamo, siete, sono.
Notice it in context
Sono stanca, ma i miei amici sono ancora svegli.
I am tired, but my friends are still awake.
Sono first means an omitted io; the second sono agrees with plural amici; adjective endings reveal number/gender.
Di dove sei? Sono di Bari.
Where are you from? I am from Bari.
Sei agrees with omitted tu; sono with omitted io.
Siamo in centro e voi siete a casa.
We are downtown and you are at home.
Siamo and siete distinguish noi and voi.
What to remember
- È requires a written accent; e without accent means and.
- Formal Lei uses è, the third-person singular form.
Common trap: Do not write e for the verb is. Use è.