ESSERE or AVERE? This is the question!
In Italian, there are two irregular verbs, that function as auxiliary verbs in compound tenses (e.g. in the present perfect): essere and avere. These two verbs are called auxiliary verbs from the Latin word auxilium, which means “help”.
Essere and avere are a crucial part of any language, these two Italian verbs can be considered the most useful two verbs for their versatility.
In the present tense, they mean exactly essere “to be” and avere “to have” but when they are used in the past tense they are called “auxiliary verbs”; because they “help” in the formation of compound tenses (“essere” + the past participle of a verb, “avere” + the past participle of a verb) and the passive construction (“essere” + a verb)
The Importance of Essere and Avere
Firstly, these two words are important because when we are learning a new language we start by learning them, since they are two of the most common verbs in a language. They are used in a wide variety of situations and serve as a grammatical aid.
Every Italian student starts by speaking only in the present tense — that is, about what is happening in the “here and now.” But what if we want to refer back to an event that has happened in the recent past, such as this morning, yesterday, or last year? Well, then, he will have to learn how to form the passato prossimo AND FOR THIS TENSE HE WILL NEED “ESSERE” E “AVERE”.
The Conjugations of Essere and Avere
While these two verbs end in -ere (a regular verb ending), they are, in fact, irregular in the present tense. Not to worry, though: once you learn them, they can be used practically everywhere and you won’t be able to forget them!
Check out their full conjugations in the present tense:
Let’s see first verb: ESSERE
| Singular | Plural |
| Io sono – I am | Noi siamo – We are |
| Tu sei – You are | Voi siete – You are |
| Lui, le é – He, she is | Loro sono – They are |
The present tense (present)
The verb “essere” has multiple uses. Thanks to this Italian verb we can…
Introduce ourselves or someone else
Sono Maria – I am Maria
Questo è mio fratello – This is my brother
Talk about nationality
Sono americano – I am American
Siamo brasiliane – We are Brazilians
Talk about feelings
Sono arrabbiata – I am angry
Marta è stanca – Marta is tired
Use it as an auxiliary in Passato Prossimo
Let’s see some examples of this case
The auxiliary essere is used with several verbs that do not have an object.
- Siamo andati a casa – We went home.
It is also used with reflexive verbs.
- Si è pettinata i capelli – She brushed her hair.
Let’s see second verb: AVERE
| Singular | Plural |
| Io ho – I have | Noi abbiamo – We have |
| Tu hai – You have | Voi avete – You have |
| Lui, le ha – He, she has | Loro hano – They have |
Remember that in Italian, unlike in English, the use of personal pronouns like io (I), tu (you) etc. with verbs is not required.
On the contrary! It sounds artificial to use them as the form of the verb itself indicates who it is referring to.
The present tense (presente)
“Avere” means “to have” and is arguably the second most useful verb in the Italian language. It is use for:
Talk about someone’s age
Hai 20 anni – You are 20 years’ old
Ho 76 anni – I am 76 years’ old
With fixed expressions
Avere fame – to be hungry
Avere fretta – to be in a hurry
Avere sete – to be thirsty
Avere sonno – to be sleepy
Use it as an auxiliary in Passato Prossimo
The auxiliary avere is used with several verbs that have an object.
- Lui ha mangiato una mela. – He ate an apple.
It is also used with some verbs that denote movement and that do not have an object.
- Ho camminato – I walked.
How to Choose Between Avere and Essere
While there are a handful of exceptions, you choose “essere” with
- verbs that describe movement, a state of being, or a condition, like “andare – to go,” “uscire – to go out,” or “succedere – to happen.”
- Reflexive verbs, like “alzarsi – to get up” are always conjugated with “essere.”
“Avere” is typically used with
- all other verbs, like “parlare – to speak,” “mangiare – to eat,” or “imparare – to learn.”
- To communicate successfully you definitely need more than two Italian verbs. And yet, every language learner has to start somewhere.
Regardless of your level, make sure that you can conjugate these two Italian verbs correctly. And remember practice, practice and practice, and do make short sentences so you do not forget the rule.
