Lesson 2 - La Casa (the house)
This week's new words:
NOUNS VERBS
PREPOSITIONS ADJECTIVES Numbers 11-99
Colors
essere - to be
stare - to stay
essere is used to indicate more permanent aspects of people or things, such as -
- Identity - Io sono Carla. ("I am Carla")
- Profession - Egli è un professore. ("He is a professor.")
- Origin - Noi siamo di Milano. ("We are from Milan.")
- Religious or political affiliation - Tu sei cattolico? ("You are Catholic?")
- Time of day or date - Sono le otto. ("It is 8 o'clock.")
- Possession - La casa è di Giovanna. ("It is Giovanna's house.")
- Nationality - Sono Italiano. ("I am from Italy.")
- Physical aspects or characteristics of something - Le sedie sono verdi. ("The chairs are green.")
- Essential qualities of something or someone - Sono vecchio. Sei antipatico. ("I am old. You are unpleasant.")
- Location - La sedia è in cucina. ("The chair is in the kitchen.")
- but also, more rarely - La sedia sta in cucina. ("The chair is in the kitchen.")
- Condition or emotion that is subject to change - Sono malato. ("I am sick.")
- Personal observations or reactions, how something "seems" or "feels" - La cucina è pulita. ("The kitchen is (seems) clean.")
stare is used to indicate precise locations, in idioms and as auxiliary, such as -
- Idiomatic sentences - Sto bene.("I am well.")
- Idiomatic sentences - Sto male.("I feel bad.")
- Location - La sedia sta in cucina. ("The chair is in the kitchen.")
- Continuous tense - Sto correndo.("I am running.")