Teaching Italian - Language notes - Sono, sei, è, siamo, siete


Sono di Sanremo
I'm from Sanremo
Perché sei qui?
Why are you here? one person, informal
Perché siete qui?
Why are you here? more than one person
Siamo qui per prendere il sole
We're here to sunbathe
I portici sono una
delle charatteristiche di Bologna
The arcades are one
of the features of Bologna

È can have different meanings:

Questa è mia moglie
This is my wife
È un club in centro
It's a club in the centre
Perché è qui? Why are you here? formal

Ci is often linked with è and sono, meaning "there is, there are":

Non c'è problema
There's no problem
Suo marito c'è?
Is your husband here or there?
Ci sono molti portici There are many arcades

essere
to be
sono
I am
sei
you are informal
è
you are formal
he is, she is, it is
siamo
we are
siete
you are more than one person
sono
they are

see also...
Verb Endings
io, tu, lei...
Formal - Informal

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