Essere vs Stare
Identity, state, and location contrasts in everyday Italian.
What to focus on
- Identity and permanent characteristics
- Temporary condition and location
- Idiomatic uses and fixed expressions
Essere
(auxiliary, the non-perfect forms followed by a past participle, used to form composite (perfect) tenses of passive intransitive verbs and of their reflexive forms) to have (done something); to be in the state of having (done something); See Category:Italian verbs taking essere as auxiliary.. Essendo partito e non essendosi ancora fermato, lui è tutt’ora in movimento. ― Being started and not having stopped yet, he is still moving. (literally, “Being started and not having stopped yet, he is all now in movement.”). (io) sono(io) sono statoI amI (have) been. (io) sto(io) sono statoI stayI (have) stayed. (tu) ti fermi(tu) ti sei fermatoyou stop yourselfyou (have) stopped yourself. (io) vado(io) sono andatoI goI (have) gone
Stare
to stay, remain. stare attenti (a) ― to pay attention (to). (Lui/Lei/Egli/Ella/Esso/Essa) starà a casa. ― He/She/It will stay/remain at home.