Italian has two verbs that translate to 'to be' in English: essere and stare. Essere is the default for identity, origin, and stable traits. Stare takes over for health, temporary states, the '-ing' continuous form, and some fixed expressions. Getting these straight is one of A2's most important foundations.
Essere for identity, origin, and permanent traits
Use essere for who someone is, where they're from, what they do, and what they're like as a person.
- Sono italiano.I am Italian.
- Marco è medico.Marco is a doctor.
- Sei alto e simpatico.You're tall and friendly.
- Siamo amici da vent'anni.We've been friends for 20 years.
Stare for health and how you feel
When asking or saying how someone is doing — health, mood, wellbeing — use stare. This is why the greeting is 'Come stai?' and never 'Come sei?'
- Come stai? — Sto bene, grazie.How are you? — I'm well, thanks.
- Mia nonna sta male oggi.My grandmother is feeling sick today.
- Stiamo benissimo in vacanza.We're doing great on vacation.
Stare + gerundio for the '-ing' continuous
To say something is happening right now ('I'm eating', 'she's working'), use stare + gerundio (-ando for -are verbs, -endo for -ere/-ire verbs). This is the ONLY way to express the English progressive in Italian — you cannot use essere here.
- Sto mangiando la pizza.I'm eating pizza (right now).
- Cosa stai facendo?What are you doing?
- Stanno dormendo.They're sleeping.
- La bambina sta leggendo.The little girl is reading.
Stare for 'to stay / to remain'
Stare also means 'to stay' — remaining in a place or state. This is its original meaning and appears in many fixed expressions.
- Stasera sto a casa.Tonight I'm staying home.
- Stai tranquillo.Stay calm / don't worry.
- Stammi bene!Take care! (lit: 'stay well to me')
- I bambini non stanno fermi.The kids can't stay still.
Stare for 'to fit / to suit'
For clothes, colors, or styles that fit or suit someone, use stare with an indirect pronoun.
- Quel vestito ti sta benissimo.That dress suits you perfectly.
- Questi pantaloni non mi stanno più.These pants don't fit me anymore.
- Il rosso le sta bene.Red looks good on her.
Location: both are possible
Standard written Italian uses essere for location (sono a Roma). In the south and in colloquial speech, stare is common for the same thing (sto a Roma). Both are understood everywhere — pick essere if you want to be safe and formal.
- Sono in ufficio. (neutral/written)I'm at the office.
- Sto in ufficio. (colloquial/southern)I'm at the office.
Present tense, side by side
| Pronoun | essere | stare |
|---|---|---|
| io | sono | sto |
| tu | sei | stai |
| lui / lei | è | sta |
| noi | siamo | stiamo |
| voi | siete | state |
| loro | sono | stanno |
Quick reference — which verb?
| Use case | Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Identity / profession | essere | Sono insegnante. |
| Physical trait / personality | essere | È alta. È gentile. |
| Origin / nationality | essere | Sei francese? |
| Age | avere (not essere!) | Ho 30 anni. |
| Health / feeling | stare | Come stai? Sto bene. |
| Continuous '-ing' action | stare + gerundio | Sto lavorando. |
| Staying / remaining | stare | Sto a casa stasera. |
| Fit / suit (clothing) | stare | Ti sta bene. |
| Fixed greetings & wishes | stare | Stammi bene! |