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Italian vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "to be" in Italian?
essere
In Italian, "to be" is essere.
Listen to the pronunciation:
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Pronunciation
Essere sounds like 'es-SER-eh'. First syllable soft, second stressed.
Grammar notes
Essere is an irregular verb. Present tense: sono, sei, è, siamo, siete, sono.
Example sentence
Io sono studente.
I am a student.
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How to remember essere
Essere means 'to be'. It is the most fundamental and irregular Italian verb.
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Browse all Italian words in the glossary.
Questions about essere
How do you say "to be" in Italian?
In Italian, "to be" is essere. It is a noun.
How is essere written in Italian?
essere is written using the standard Italian script.
How is essere used in a sentence?
Use essere as you would use the equivalent noun in English. For example: Io sono studente. (I am a student.).
Where can I practice Italian words for free?
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"To be" in other languages
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