Is it necessary to use pronouns with the verb “essere”?
I'm learning Italian (at the beginner level) and the teacher said that it is necessary to use pronouns with the verb "essere" in all cases. For example: Io sono, loro sono, etc.
Is it normal to build sentences without it? For example, "Sono italiana" or "Sono a casa".
word-usage verbs pronouns
edited Mar 21 at 22:27
egreg♦
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asked Mar 21 at 18:45
Julia GJulia G
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Julia G is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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add a comment |
I'm learning Italian (at the beginner level) and the teacher said that it is necessary to use pronouns with the verb "essere" in all cases. For example: Io sono, loro sono, etc.
Is it normal to build sentences without it? For example, "Sono italiana" or "Sono a casa".
word-usage verbs pronouns
edited Mar 21 at 22:27
egreg♦
12.2k31849
asked Mar 21 at 18:45
Julia GJulia G
412
New contributor
Julia G is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Welcome on ItalianSE!!!
– abarisone
Mar 21 at 19:12
3
As you can see from the answers, in general it is not true that pronouns are necessary with the verb essere (or any other verb). Are you sure your teacher wasn't referring to some specific kind of sentences? An example where a pronoun is required as a subject is given in egreg's answer; another one is in some subordinate clauses with the verb in the subjunctive. For instance, in a sentence such as Gianni vuole che tu sia il prossimo, if you remove tu, the sentence is at the very least ambiguous (sia is the 1st, 2nd and 3rd person form).
– DaG
Mar 21 at 23:26
Yes, she was referring to some case when without pronouns it is difficult to understand meaning and there was reason she said "it is necessery to use pronouns". Thanks for comment!
– Julia G
2 days ago
add a comment |
I'm learning Italian (at the beginner level) and the teacher said that it is necessary to use pronouns with the verb "essere" in all cases. For example: Io sono, loro sono, etc.
Is it normal to build sentences without it? For example, "Sono italiana" or "Sono a casa".
word-usage verbs pronouns
edited Mar 21 at 22:27
egreg♦
12.2k31849
asked Mar 21 at 18:45
Julia GJulia G
412
New contributor
Julia G is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I'm learning Italian (at the beginner level) and the teacher said that it is necessary to use pronouns with the verb "essere" in all cases. For example: Io sono, loro sono, etc.
Is it normal to build sentences without it? For example, "Sono italiana" or "Sono a casa".
word-usage verbs pronouns
word-usage verbs pronouns
edited Mar 21 at 22:27
egreg♦
12.2k31849
asked Mar 21 at 18:45
Julia GJulia G
412
New contributor
Julia G is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited Mar 21 at 22:27
egreg♦
12.2k31849
asked Mar 21 at 18:45
Julia GJulia G
412
New contributor
Julia G is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited Mar 21 at 22:27
egreg♦
12.2k31849
edited Mar 21 at 22:27
egreg♦
12.2k31849
edited Mar 21 at 22:27
egreg♦
12.2k31849
12.2k31849
asked Mar 21 at 18:45
Julia GJulia G
412
New contributor
Julia G is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked Mar 21 at 18:45
Julia GJulia G
412
asked Mar 21 at 18:45
Julia GJulia G
412
412
New contributor
Julia G is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Julia G is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Julia G is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Welcome on ItalianSE!!!
– abarisone
Mar 21 at 19:12
3
As you can see from the answers, in general it is not true that pronouns are necessary with the verb essere (or any other verb). Are you sure your teacher wasn't referring to some specific kind of sentences? An example where a pronoun is required as a subject is given in egreg's answer; another one is in some subordinate clauses with the verb in the subjunctive. For instance, in a sentence such as Gianni vuole che tu sia il prossimo, if you remove tu, the sentence is at the very least ambiguous (sia is the 1st, 2nd and 3rd person form).
– DaG
Mar 21 at 23:26
Yes, she was referring to some case when without pronouns it is difficult to understand meaning and there was reason she said "it is necessery to use pronouns". Thanks for comment!
– Julia G
2 days ago
add a comment |
1
Welcome on ItalianSE!!!
– abarisone
Mar 21 at 19:12
3
As you can see from the answers, in general it is not true that pronouns are necessary with the verb essere (or any other verb). Are you sure your teacher wasn't referring to some specific kind of sentences? An example where a pronoun is required as a subject is given in egreg's answer; another one is in some subordinate clauses with the verb in the subjunctive. For instance, in a sentence such as Gianni vuole che tu sia il prossimo, if you remove tu, the sentence is at the very least ambiguous (sia is the 1st, 2nd and 3rd person form).
– DaG
Mar 21 at 23:26
Yes, she was referring to some case when without pronouns it is difficult to understand meaning and there was reason she said "it is necessery to use pronouns". Thanks for comment!
– Julia G
2 days ago
1
1
Welcome on ItalianSE!!!
– abarisone
Mar 21 at 19:12
Welcome on ItalianSE!!!
– abarisone
Mar 21 at 19:12
3
3
As you can see from the answers, in general it is not true that pronouns are necessary with the verb essere (or any other verb). Are you sure your teacher wasn't referring to some specific kind of sentences? An example where a pronoun is required as a subject is given in egreg's answer; another one is in some subordinate clauses with the verb in the subjunctive. For instance, in a sentence such as Gianni vuole che tu sia il prossimo, if you remove tu, the sentence is at the very least ambiguous (sia is the 1st, 2nd and 3rd person form).
– DaG
Mar 21 at 23:26
As you can see from the answers, in general it is not true that pronouns are necessary with the verb essere (or any other verb). Are you sure your teacher wasn't referring to some specific kind of sentences? An example where a pronoun is required as a subject is given in egreg's answer; another one is in some subordinate clauses with the verb in the subjunctive. For instance, in a sentence such as Gianni vuole che tu sia il prossimo, if you remove tu, the sentence is at the very least ambiguous (sia is the 1st, 2nd and 3rd person form).
– DaG
Mar 21 at 23:26
Yes, she was referring to some case when without pronouns it is difficult to understand meaning and there was reason she said "it is necessery to use pronouns". Thanks for comment!
– Julia G
2 days ago
Yes, she was referring to some case when without pronouns it is difficult to understand meaning and there was reason she said "it is necessery to use pronouns". Thanks for comment!
– Julia G
2 days ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
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oldest
votes
Your teacher is wrong and your examples are perfect.
The subject pronoun can be used, for emphasis or for marking distinctions: I would say
Io sono italiano, lei è catalana.
when asked about me and my fellow moderator Charo. But if asked “Di che nazionalità sei?", I'd answer
Sono italiano.
because no emphasis or distinction is necessary.
The subject pronoun is mandatory when there is no predicate (noun or adjective). For instance, a mother asks her children Chi ha mangiato le caramelle? (Who ate the candies?). The guilty party would answer Sono stato io (I did). Note the inversion (that is not done in some dialects, though).
answered Mar 21 at 22:50
egreg♦egreg
12.2k31849
1
Thanks for your comment!
– Julia G
2 days ago
add a comment |
No, it is not necessary to use personal pronouns with any verb, in particular not with the verb essere. Using a technical language we can say that Italian is a "null-subject" language.
Rather than references (any decent grammar book will give you the rules) let me give you a bunch of examples:
Sono a casa! (I'm home)
Se tutto va bene, siamo rovinati (If everything goes well, we're ruined)
Sono solo come un cane! (I'm as alone as a dog, i.e. I'm totally alone)
answered Mar 21 at 21:52
Denis Nardin♦Denis Nardin
6,88221539
A more common terminology is “Italian is a pro-drop language”.
– egreg♦
Mar 21 at 22:29
@egreg Thanks! I decided to go with the more specific "null-subject" which is in the same Wikipedia page (I don't remember where I heard the original expression, but I cannot seem to find it anymore, so I removed it)
– Denis Nardin♦
Mar 22 at 8:40
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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2 Answers
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active
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oldest
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Your teacher is wrong and your examples are perfect.
The subject pronoun can be used, for emphasis or for marking distinctions: I would say
Io sono italiano, lei è catalana.
when asked about me and my fellow moderator Charo. But if asked “Di che nazionalità sei?", I'd answer
Sono italiano.
because no emphasis or distinction is necessary.
The subject pronoun is mandatory when there is no predicate (noun or adjective). For instance, a mother asks her children Chi ha mangiato le caramelle? (Who ate the candies?). The guilty party would answer Sono stato io (I did). Note the inversion (that is not done in some dialects, though).
answered Mar 21 at 22:50
egreg♦egreg
12.2k31849
1
Thanks for your comment!
– Julia G
2 days ago
add a comment |
Your teacher is wrong and your examples are perfect.
The subject pronoun can be used, for emphasis or for marking distinctions: I would say
Io sono italiano, lei è catalana.
when asked about me and my fellow moderator Charo. But if asked “Di che nazionalità sei?", I'd answer
Sono italiano.
because no emphasis or distinction is necessary.
The subject pronoun is mandatory when there is no predicate (noun or adjective). For instance, a mother asks her children Chi ha mangiato le caramelle? (Who ate the candies?). The guilty party would answer Sono stato io (I did). Note the inversion (that is not done in some dialects, though).
answered Mar 21 at 22:50
egreg♦egreg
12.2k31849
1
Thanks for your comment!
– Julia G
2 days ago
add a comment |
Your teacher is wrong and your examples are perfect.
The subject pronoun can be used, for emphasis or for marking distinctions: I would say
Io sono italiano, lei è catalana.
when asked about me and my fellow moderator Charo. But if asked “Di che nazionalità sei?", I'd answer
Sono italiano.
because no emphasis or distinction is necessary.
The subject pronoun is mandatory when there is no predicate (noun or adjective). For instance, a mother asks her children Chi ha mangiato le caramelle? (Who ate the candies?). The guilty party would answer Sono stato io (I did). Note the inversion (that is not done in some dialects, though).
answered Mar 21 at 22:50
egreg♦egreg
12.2k31849
Your teacher is wrong and your examples are perfect.
The subject pronoun can be used, for emphasis or for marking distinctions: I would say
Io sono italiano, lei è catalana.
when asked about me and my fellow moderator Charo. But if asked “Di che nazionalità sei?", I'd answer
Sono italiano.
because no emphasis or distinction is necessary.
The subject pronoun is mandatory when there is no predicate (noun or adjective). For instance, a mother asks her children Chi ha mangiato le caramelle? (Who ate the candies?). The guilty party would answer Sono stato io (I did). Note the inversion (that is not done in some dialects, though).
answered Mar 21 at 22:50
egreg♦egreg
12.2k31849
answered Mar 21 at 22:50
egreg♦egreg
12.2k31849
answered Mar 21 at 22:50
egreg♦egreg
12.2k31849
answered Mar 21 at 22:50
egreg♦egreg
12.2k31849
12.2k31849
1
Thanks for your comment!
– Julia G
2 days ago
add a comment |
1
Thanks for your comment!
– Julia G
2 days ago
1
1
Thanks for your comment!
– Julia G
2 days ago
Thanks for your comment!
– Julia G
2 days ago
add a comment |
No, it is not necessary to use personal pronouns with any verb, in particular not with the verb essere. Using a technical language we can say that Italian is a "null-subject" language.
Rather than references (any decent grammar book will give you the rules) let me give you a bunch of examples:
Sono a casa! (I'm home)
Se tutto va bene, siamo rovinati (If everything goes well, we're ruined)
Sono solo come un cane! (I'm as alone as a dog, i.e. I'm totally alone)
answered Mar 21 at 21:52
Denis Nardin♦Denis Nardin
6,88221539
A more common terminology is “Italian is a pro-drop language”.
– egreg♦
Mar 21 at 22:29
@egreg Thanks! I decided to go with the more specific "null-subject" which is in the same Wikipedia page (I don't remember where I heard the original expression, but I cannot seem to find it anymore, so I removed it)
– Denis Nardin♦
Mar 22 at 8:40
add a comment |
No, it is not necessary to use personal pronouns with any verb, in particular not with the verb essere. Using a technical language we can say that Italian is a "null-subject" language.
Rather than references (any decent grammar book will give you the rules) let me give you a bunch of examples:
Sono a casa! (I'm home)
Se tutto va bene, siamo rovinati (If everything goes well, we're ruined)
Sono solo come un cane! (I'm as alone as a dog, i.e. I'm totally alone)
answered Mar 21 at 21:52
Denis Nardin♦Denis Nardin
6,88221539
A more common terminology is “Italian is a pro-drop language”.
– egreg♦
Mar 21 at 22:29
@egreg Thanks! I decided to go with the more specific "null-subject" which is in the same Wikipedia page (I don't remember where I heard the original expression, but I cannot seem to find it anymore, so I removed it)
– Denis Nardin♦
Mar 22 at 8:40
add a comment |
No, it is not necessary to use personal pronouns with any verb, in particular not with the verb essere. Using a technical language we can say that Italian is a "null-subject" language.
Rather than references (any decent grammar book will give you the rules) let me give you a bunch of examples:
Sono a casa! (I'm home)
Se tutto va bene, siamo rovinati (If everything goes well, we're ruined)
Sono solo come un cane! (I'm as alone as a dog, i.e. I'm totally alone)
answered Mar 21 at 21:52
Denis Nardin♦Denis Nardin
6,88221539
No, it is not necessary to use personal pronouns with any verb, in particular not with the verb essere. Using a technical language we can say that Italian is a "null-subject" language.
Rather than references (any decent grammar book will give you the rules) let me give you a bunch of examples:
Sono a casa! (I'm home)
Se tutto va bene, siamo rovinati (If everything goes well, we're ruined)
Sono solo come un cane! (I'm as alone as a dog, i.e. I'm totally alone)
answered Mar 21 at 21:52
Denis Nardin♦Denis Nardin
6,88221539
edited Mar 22 at 8:39
answered Mar 21 at 21:52
Denis Nardin♦Denis Nardin
6,88221539
answered Mar 21 at 21:52
Denis Nardin♦Denis Nardin
6,88221539
answered Mar 21 at 21:52
Denis Nardin♦Denis Nardin
6,88221539
6,88221539
A more common terminology is “Italian is a pro-drop language”.
– egreg♦
Mar 21 at 22:29
@egreg Thanks! I decided to go with the more specific "null-subject" which is in the same Wikipedia page (I don't remember where I heard the original expression, but I cannot seem to find it anymore, so I removed it)
– Denis Nardin♦
Mar 22 at 8:40
add a comment |
A more common terminology is “Italian is a pro-drop language”.
– egreg♦
Mar 21 at 22:29
@egreg Thanks! I decided to go with the more specific "null-subject" which is in the same Wikipedia page (I don't remember where I heard the original expression, but I cannot seem to find it anymore, so I removed it)
– Denis Nardin♦
Mar 22 at 8:40
A more common terminology is “Italian is a pro-drop language”.
– egreg♦
Mar 21 at 22:29
A more common terminology is “Italian is a pro-drop language”.
– egreg♦
Mar 21 at 22:29
@egreg Thanks! I decided to go with the more specific "null-subject" which is in the same Wikipedia page (I don't remember where I heard the original expression, but I cannot seem to find it anymore, so I removed it)
– Denis Nardin♦
Mar 22 at 8:40
@egreg Thanks! I decided to go with the more specific "null-subject" which is in the same Wikipedia page (I don't remember where I heard the original expression, but I cannot seem to find it anymore, so I removed it)
– Denis Nardin♦
Mar 22 at 8:40
add a comment |
Julia G is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Julia G is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Julia G is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Julia G is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Welcome on ItalianSE!!!
– abarisone
Mar 21 at 19:12
3
As you can see from the answers, in general it is not true that pronouns are necessary with the verb essere (or any other verb). Are you sure your teacher wasn't referring to some specific kind of sentences? An example where a pronoun is required as a subject is given in egreg's answer; another one is in some subordinate clauses with the verb in the subjunctive. For instance, in a sentence such as Gianni vuole che tu sia il prossimo, if you remove tu, the sentence is at the very least ambiguous (sia is the 1st, 2nd and 3rd person form).
– DaG
Mar 21 at 23:26
Yes, she was referring to some case when without pronouns it is difficult to understand meaning and there was reason she said "it is necessery to use pronouns". Thanks for comment!
– Julia G
2 days ago