To be or not to be... that is the question!
Shakespeare might definitely not have been referring to the Italian verb dilemma, but one of his most famous lines raises an essential point when it comes to Italian grammar. So let’s rephrase it for our purposes:
‘Essere or... avere?’
If you have ever wondered which one to use in the Passato Prossimo, this article is for you.
Today, we will look at:
1. When to use ‘essere’ and ‘avere’
2. How to use ‘essere’
3. How to use ‘avere’
Are you ready? Let’s dive in!
1. When to use ‘essere’ and ‘avere’
The Passato Prossimo is formed with two parts:
1. an auxiliary (helping) verb that can be either ‘essere’ or ‘avere’ 2. the past participle of the main verb
In English, it is similar to saying “I have eaten” (ho mangiato) or “I have gone” (sono andato).
But in Italian, to form the past some verbs require ‘avere’, while others use ‘essere’. This choice depends on the type of verb:
- Avere: when the verb has a direct object (you can ask “what?” or “whom?”)
- Essere: when the verb shows movement, change of state, or being, and there is no direct object
Let’s see how it works.
2. How to use ‘essere’
We use ‘essere’ as the auxiliary with:
• Intransitive verbs (verbs that do not take a direct object)
• Reflexive verbs (verbs like alzarsi, vestirsi, divertirsi)
Here are the most common verbs that take ‘essere’:
- Andare (to go)
- Arrivare (to arrive)
- Cadere (to fall)
- Crescere (to grow)
- Diventare (to become)
- Entrare (to enter)
- Essere (to be)
- Morire (to die)
- Nascere (to be born)
- Partire (to leave, to depart)
- Piacere (to like)
- Rimanere (to stay, to remain)
- Salire (to go up, to climb)
- Scendere (to go down)
- Stare (to be, to stay)
- Tornare (to return)
- Uscire (to go out)
- Venire (to come)
Notice anything? They all describe a change in state or movement: going somewhere, becoming something, or existing in a certain state.
Also, they are often followed by a preposition (e.g., andare a Roma, venire da Milano).
Grammar note: When using ‘essere’, the past participle must agree with the subject in gender and number.
e.g.:
• Luca è andato a casa (singular and masculine, thus ending in –o). → Luca went home.
• Maria è andata a casa (singular and feminine, thus ending in –a). → Maria went home.
• I ragazzi sono arrivati (plural and masculine, thus ending in –i). → The boys arrived. • Le ragazze sono arrivate. (plural and feminine, thus ending in –e). → The girls arrived.
3. How to use ‘avere’
We use ‘avere’ with transitive verbs, that is verbs that take a direct object. If you can ask “What?” or “Whom?” after the verb, you will likely use ‘avere’. e.g.:
• Ho mangiato una pizza. → I ate a pizza. (What did I eat? → a pizza)
• Hai comprato il libro? → Did you buy the book? (What did you buy? → the book)
• Abbiamo visto un film. → We watched a movie. (What did you watch? → a movie)
Some very common verbs that take ‘avere’:
- Ascoltare (to listen)
- Bere (to drink)
- Comprare (to buy)
- Dire (to say, to tell)
- Fare (to do)
- Guardare (to watch)
- Leggere (to read)
- Mangiare (to eat)
- Scrivere (to write)
- Studiare (to study)
Grammar note: When using ‘avere’, the past participle usually stays the same, no matter who the subject is.
e.g.:
• Luca ha mangiato. → Luca ate
• Maria ha mangiato. → Maria ate
• Loro hanno mangiato. → They ate
However, if there is a direct object pronoun before the verb (lo, la, li, le), agreement may follow the ‘essere’ rule, therefore it must agree with the subject in gender and number:
• L’ho vista ieri. → I saw her yesterday.
• Li ho incontrati a scuola. → I met them at school.
Quick tip:
If you are not sure whether to use ‘essere’ or ‘avere’, ask yourself: Can I add a direct object (something or someone) after the verb)?
If the answer is:
Yes → Use ‘avere’.
No → Use ‘essere’.
e.g.:
• Ho corso una maratona. → I ran a marathon. (direct object → avere) • Sono corso a casa. → I ran home. (movement → essere)
Same verb, different auxiliary, and slightly different meanings!
That is all for today’s lesson!
I hope you found this article useful and that you learned something. It might feel tricky at first, but the more you listen and read in Italian, the more natural it becomes.
Think of ‘essere’ as the helper for movement and being, and ‘avere’ as the helper for doing and having.
Of course, if you have any questions or other topics you would like me to cover, let me know in the comments below.
Thank you for reading this article!
If you want to learn more about me, feel free to check out my profile. Ciao!
Germana
