question for Italians speakers

bernard   Tuesday, May 17, 2005, 23:16 GMT
I don't know if there is Italian speakers here. But I would like to know if in Italian the verb "stare" is used in the same way than the verb "estar" in Spanish ?
Tiffany   Wednesday, May 18, 2005, 00:02 GMT
The difference between stare (Sp equivalent estar) and essere (Sp equivalent ser) is much more pronounced with relatively few uses of "stare"... meaning it's easier for an English person to distinguish.

Both technically mean "to be" in English, but stare will often be translated as "to stay" and in sentences where the English equivalent would be "to be" it refers more to states of wellness.

For example: state of wellness
En: I am/feel sick
It: Sto ammalato/a.

En: How are you? (health)
It: Come sta?

En: I am good/not well
It: Sto bene/male

It is also used in other cases such as progressive "I am singing" = "Sto cantando" and all throughout the past tense. The past tense of stare and essere are exactly the same, in fact.

Estar is much more particular. For example, to say "I am tired", you'd have to use the Sp. "Estoy cansado/a" because to be tired is a state that is not permanent so the use of "estar" is required. In Italian, "stare" is not used, simple "essere" = "Sono stanca".

In conclusion, the use of stare in Italian is much more limited than the use of estar in Spanish. So no, they are not the same.

Here is an excellent site that explains the evolution and in differences between the two forms of "to be" in all Romance languages:
http://www.answers.com/topic/romance-copula