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ITALIAN VERB

esserci

to be there

  • #14 most used
  • Irregular -ere verb
  • Past participle: stato
  • Gerund: essendoci

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

  1. io I am there
  2. tu you are there
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she is there
  4. noi we are there
  5. voi you all are there
  6. loro they are there

Past

Passato prossimo · finished actions: “ho parlato”

  1. io I was there
  2. tu you were there
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she was there
  4. noi we were there
  5. voi you all were there
  6. loro they were there

Imperfect

Imperfetto · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. io I used to be there
  2. tu you used to be there
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she used to be there
  4. noi we used to be there
  5. voi you all used to be there
  6. loro they used to be there

Future

Futuro semplice · plans and guesses

  1. io I will be there
  2. tu you will be there
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she will be there
  4. noi we will be there
  5. voi you all will be there
  6. loro they will be there

Conditional

Condizionale · “would”, polite requests

  1. io I would be there
  2. tu you would be there
  3. lui, lei, Lei he/she would be there
  4. noi we would be there
  5. voi you all would be there
  6. loro they would be there

Present subjunctive

Congiuntivo presente · wishes, doubts, “che …”

  1. io (that) I be there
  2. tu (that) you be there
  3. lui, lei, Lei (that) he/she be there
  4. noi (that) we be there
  5. voi (that) you all be there
  6. loro (that) they be there

Imperative

Imperativo · requests and orders: tu, Lei, noi, voi

  1. tu be there!
  2. Lei be there! (formal)
  3. noi be there! (let’s)
  4. voi be there! (all of you)

How to use esserci

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    C'è una farmacia qui vicino?

    Is there a pharmacy near here?

  2. Past

    Ieri c'è stato un bel concerto in piazza.

    Yesterday there was a nice concert in the square.

  3. Imperfect

    C'erano tante persone alla festa.

    There were lots of people at the party.

  4. Future

    Domani ci sarà sciopero dei treni.

    Tomorrow there'll be a train strike.

  5. Conditional

    Ci sarebbe un posto libero per stasera?

    Would there be a free seat for tonight?

  6. Present subjunctive

    Non credo che ci siano problemi.

    I don't think there are any problems.

  7. Imperative

    Siateci anche voi sabato, sarà una bella festa.

    You be there too on Saturday, it'll be a nice party.

Good to know

  • C'è is there is; ci sono is there are. Chi c'è? asks who is there.
  • Ci stands for a place already known: Marco c'è? asks whether Marco is in.

Where you hear esserci

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Italian · Beginner Level 1

  • La domenica, in cucina ci sono sempre io. On Sundays, I'm always there in the kitchen.
  • A Bologna non ci sono mai stata. I've never been to Bologna.
  • Domani alle nove ci sono anch'io. Tomorrow at nine I'll be there too.

Italian · Beginner Level 2

  • La domenica, in cucina ci sono sempre io. On Sundays, I'm always there in the kitchen.
  • A Bologna non ci sono mai stata. I've never been to Bologna.
  • Domani alle nove ci sono anch'io. Tomorrow at nine I'll be there too.
4
Keep or Throw Away

Beginner Level 2 · Cosa c'è dentro?

Needs a subscription 12
On the Mountain Path

Beginner Level 2 · Tieni. C'è una fontana lassù.

Needs a subscription 17
The Feast Committee

Beginner Level 2 · In agosto c'è la festa del paese.

Needs a subscription 21
Too Hot

Beginner Level 2 · Non c'è acqua.

Needs a subscription 22
The Storm

Beginner Level 2 · Non c'è luce.

Needs a subscription 23
Assunta Is Unwell

Beginner Level 2 · Assunta, cosa c'è?

Needs a subscription 28
Last Day at the Trattoria

Beginner Level 2 · Brava. Qui c'è sempre lavoro per te.

Needs a subscription 2
Nonna Remembers Autumn

Beginner Level 3 · Sì, Nonna. Stamattina c'era la nebbia. · C'era la neve. · Certo. Non c'era l'autobus.

Free 3
The Roofer's Visit

Beginner Level 3 · Il tetto è vecchio. C'è un buco grande.

Needs a subscription 15
The First Snow

Beginner Level 3 · Freddissimo! C'era solo il camino.

Needs a subscription 21
Making Up the Beds

Beginner Level 3 · Ci sono le lenzuola?

Needs a subscription 22
Zia Rosa Arrives

Beginner Level 3 · Era vuota. C'era tanta polvere.

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And 32 more lessons.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: irregular -ere verb.