In this article we tackle one of the topics that gives you the worst headaches: when to use the auxiliary verb ESSERE and when to use AVERE. I know, I know… every time you have to form a compound tense, you panic! “But should I say ho andato or sono andato?” “Is it ho piaciuto or sono piaciuto?” Don’t worry! I’ll explain everything with super clear rules and foolproof tricks. And by the end of this article, you’ll have no more doubts! I promise!
Compound Tenses: How to Choose the Right Auxiliary?
When to Use “ESSERE”?
The auxiliary ESSERE is used in several specific cases that are important to know and recognize. The main characteristic of verbs that require “essere” is that the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject.
1) Verbs of Movement (Moving from One Place to Another)
Verbs of movement that indicate moving from one place to another or a change of position always require the auxiliary ESSERE. These verbs express the action of moving, relocating, or changing one’s location in space.
Main verbs: andare, venire, tornare, partire, uscire, entrare, cadere, fuggire, arrivare, salire, scendere, rientrare [to go, to come, to return, to leave, to exit, to enter, to fall, to flee, to arrive, to go up, to go down, to re-enter]
REMEMBER: With the auxiliary “essere,” you must make the past participle agree in gender and number with the subject.
Examples:
- Io sono andata al supermercato [I went to the supermarket] (feminine singular subject)
- Paolo è tornato dal suo viaggio ieri [Paolo returned from his trip yesterday] (masculine singular subject)
- Noi siamo partiti per Parigi un anno fa [We left for Paris a year ago] (masculine plural or mixed subject)
- Le tue sorelle sono venute a casa mia ieri [Your sisters came to my house yesterday] (feminine plural subject)
- Maria e Luca sono usciti insieme stasera [Maria and Luca went out together tonight] (mixed group: masculine plural is used)
- Il treno è arrivato in ritardo stamattina [The train arrived late this morning]
- Sono salita al terzo piano a piedi [I went up to the third floor on foot]
ATTENTION: Exceptions with “AVERE”
Some verbs that indicate movement, but without specifying the destination or arrival point, use the auxiliary AVERE instead:
Verbs with AVERE: ballare, camminare, nuotare, correre, viaggiare, passeggiare [to dance, to walk, to swim, to run, to travel, to stroll]
Why do they use AVERE? Because these verbs describe a continuous action without indicating a specific movement from point A to point B.
Examples:
- Ho camminato per due ore [I walked for two hours] (generic movement, no specific destination)
- Abbiamo ballato tutta la notte [We danced all night]
- Ho nuotato in piscina [I swam in the pool]
- Hanno corso per mantenersi in forma [They ran to stay in shape]
NOTE: CADERE [to fall] also always requires the auxiliary “essere” because it indicates a change of position: Sono caduto dalle scale [I fell down the stairs].
2) Verbs of Permanence (Staying in a Place or Condition)
Verbs of permanence indicate the fact of remaining in a certain place or maintaining a certain condition for a period of time. They express staticity rather than movement.
Main verbs: stare, restare, rimanere, durare [to stay, to remain, to remain, to last]
Examples:
- Ieri sono rimasta a casa tutto il giorno perché dovevo lavorare [Yesterday I stayed home all day because I had to work] (staying in a place)
- Luca è stato fermo tutto il tempo perché aveva paura [Luca stayed still the whole time because he was scared] (staying in a condition)
- Loro sono rimasti dentro perché stava diluviando [They stayed inside because it was pouring]
- Il film è durato troppo [The film lasted too long] (temporal duration)
- Siamo stati in silenzio per rispetto [We remained silent out of respect]
- Le ragazze sono rimaste sole tutto il weekend [The girls remained alone all weekend]
These verbs express the continuity of a state or position, without implying movement or active change.
3) Verbs that Express Changes of State
This category includes all verbs that indicate a transformation, a physical or psychological change, or the beginning/end of a state. These are verbs that describe how something or someone becomes different from how they were before.
Main verbs: nascere, morire, crescere, diventare, invecchiare, dimagrire, ingrassare, impazzire, arrossire, guarire, ammalarsi, migliorare, peggiorare, cambiare, scomparire, apparire [to be born, to die, to grow, to become, to age, to lose weight, to gain weight, to go crazy, to blush, to heal, to get sick, to improve, to worsen, to change, to disappear, to appear]
Examples with explanation:
- Sono nata nel 1996 [I was born in 1996] (beginning of existence)
- Luca è diventato famoso grazie a quel video [Luca became famous thanks to that video] (change of social condition)
- Durante la vacanza siamo ingrassati: adesso dobbiamo metterci a dieta [During the vacation we gained weight: now we need to go on a diet] (physical change)
- Stefano stava molto male ma per fortuna è guarito [Stefano was very ill but fortunately he recovered] (change of health state)
- Mia nonna è invecchiata molto negli ultimi anni [My grandmother has aged a lot in recent years] (physical transformation related to time)
- La situazione è migliorata notevolmente [The situation has improved considerably] (positive change)
- Il bambino è cresciuto tantissimo [The child has grown so much] (physical development)
- Sono arrossita per l’imbarazzo [I blushed from embarrassment] (temporary physical change)
All these verbs have in common the fact that they describe an irreversible or significant transformation of the subject.
4) Reflexive and Pronominal Verbs
All reflexive verbs (those with the pronominal particles mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si) always require the auxiliary ESSERE. Reflexive verbs indicate an action that the subject performs on themselves or that directly involves the subject.
Common reflexive verbs: alzarsi, svegliarsi, vestirsi, prepararsi, lavarsi, pettinarsi, truccarsi, godersi, divertirsi, annoiarsi, sposarsi, innamorarsi, arrabbiarsi, preoccuparsi, rilassarsi [to get up, to wake up, to get dressed, to prepare oneself, to wash oneself, to comb one’s hair, to put on makeup, to enjoy oneself, to have fun, to get bored, to get married, to fall in love, to get angry, to worry, to relax]
Examples:
- Mi sono svegliata alle 7 questa mattina [I woke up at 7 this morning]
- Luca e Sofia si sono sposati l’anno scorso [Luca and Sofia got married last year]
- Vi siete annoiati alla nostra festa? [Did you get bored at our party?]
- Si sono visti e si sono innamorati immediatamente [They saw each other and fell in love immediately]
- Ci siamo divertiti moltissimo ieri sera [We had a lot of fun last night]
- Ti sei preparata per l’esame? [Did you prepare for the exam?]
- Si è arrabbiato per niente [He got angry for nothing]
- Mi sono rilassata al mare [I relaxed at the beach]
GOLDEN RULE: If you see a verb with mi, ti, si, ci, vi in front, always use ESSERE and remember to make the past participle agree with the subject!
5) The Verb “ESSERE” with Itself
The verb ESSERE forms compound tenses using itself as auxiliary. This creates a particular but logical structure: ESSERE relies on ESSERE.
Examples:
- Sono stata felice per tutto il tempo in cui loro erano qui [I was happy the whole time they were here]
- Siamo stati fortunati a trovare quel posto [We were lucky to find that place]
- Sei stato molto gentile con me [You were very kind to me]
- È stata una bella giornata [It was a beautiful day]
ATTENTION: ESSERE and STARE
The past participle of “ESSERE” and “STARE” is the same: STATO/A/I/E. Therefore the compound tenses of the two verbs are identical in form and only context allows us to distinguish them.
Comparison:
- Sono stato felice [I was happy] (verb ESSERE)
- Sono stato a Roma [I was in Rome] (verb STARE = to be in a place)
- Sono stata malata [I was sick] (verb ESSERE)
- Sono stata in ufficio [I was in the office] (verb STARE)
6) Impersonal Verbs (Atmospheric Phenomena)
Impersonal verbs that describe atmospheric phenomena use the auxiliary ESSERE. These verbs have no specific subject and are conjugated only in the third person singular.
Weather verbs: nevicare, piovere, grandinare, diluviare, lampeggiare, tuonare [to snow, to rain, to hail, to pour, to lightning, to thunder]
Examples:
- È piovuto tutto il giorno ieri [It rained all day yesterday]
- È nevicato per tutta la notte [It snowed all night]
- È grandinato stamattina [It hailed this morning]
- È lampeggiato per ore durante il temporale [It lightninged for hours during the storm]
Other impersonal verbs follow this rule as well:
- È successo qualcosa di strano [Something strange happened]
- È accaduto un incidente [An accident occurred]
- È capitato per caso [It happened by chance]
- È bastato poco per capire [It took little to understand]
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Some verbs have a particular construction where the grammatical subject is not the person who “undergoes” the action, but what causes an emotion, sensation, or condition. These verbs require ESSERE.
Main verbs: piacere, dispiacere, mancare, bastare, servire, costare, occorrere, sembrare, parere, importare [to like/please, to displease, to miss/lack, to be enough, to be needed, to cost, to be necessary, to seem, to appear, to matter]
In these verbs, the grammatical subject is what causes the effect, while the person who experiences it is introduced by an indirect pronoun (mi, ti, gli/le, ci, vi, gli).
Examples with explanation of structure:
- Mi è piaciuta la pizza ieri [I liked the pizza yesterday] (subject: la pizza = feminine singular → piaciuta)
- Mi sono piaciuti i film che abbiamo visto [I liked the films we watched] (subject: i film = masculine plural → piaciuti)
- Il viaggio ci è costato molto [The trip cost us a lot] (subject: il viaggio = masculine singular → costato)
- Voi LearnAmici mi siete mancati tanto [You LearnAmici, I missed you so much] (subject: voi = plural → mancati)
- Gli è sembrato strano il suo comportamento [His behavior seemed strange to him] (subject: il comportamento)
- Ti sono bastate due ore per finire? [Were two hours enough for you to finish?] (subject: due ore = plural → bastate)
- Non ci è servita la macchina [We didn’t need the car] (subject: la macchina)
FOOLPROOF TRICK: With verbs like PIACERE, always ask yourself: “What/who was liked?” The answer is the grammatical subject and determines the agreement of the past participle!
When to Use “AVERE”?
The general rule is simple: in all other cases not mentioned above, you can use the auxiliary AVERE.
The auxiliary AVERE is mainly used with:
Transitive Verbs (with Direct Object)
Transitive verbs are those that can have a direct object (they answer the question “who?” or “what?”). Most of these verbs use AVERE.
Examples:
- Ho mangiato una pizza [I ate a pizza] (ate what? a pizza)
- Abbiamo visto un film [We watched a film] (watched what? a film)
- Hai letto il libro? [Did you read the book?] (read what? the book)
- Ho comprato una macchina nuova [I bought a new car]
- Hanno scritto una lettera [They wrote a letter]
- Ho studiato tutto il giorno [I studied all day]
- Abbiamo ascoltato la musica [We listened to music]
Generic Action Verbs
Many verbs that express generic actions, activities, or operations use AVERE:
- Ho lavorato tutto il giorno [I worked all day]
- Abbiamo parlato per ore [We talked for hours]
- Hai dormito bene? [Did you sleep well?]
- Ho riso tantissimo [I laughed so much]
- Hanno giocato a calcio [They played soccer]
- Ho pensato a te [I thought of you]
- Abbiamo aspettato due ore [We waited two hours]
The Verb AVERE with Itself
Like ESSERE, AVERE also forms compound tenses with itself:
- Ho avuto fortuna [I was lucky]
- Abbiamo avuto problemi [We had problems]
- Hai avuto tempo? [Did you have time?]
- Hanno avuto una bella idea [They had a good idea]
IMPORTANT NOTE: With the auxiliary AVERE, the past participle remains invariable and does not agree with the subject (always ends in -O): Maria ha mangiato [Maria ate], Le ragazze hanno dormito [The girls slept].
Summary Chart: ESSERE or AVERE?
| TYPE OF VERB | AUXILIARY | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|---|
| Verbs of movement (with destination) | ESSERE | andare, venire, partire, uscire, entrare |
| Verbs of movement (without destination) | AVERE | camminare, ballare, nuotare, correre |
| Verbs of permanence | ESSERE | stare, restare, rimanere, durare |
| Verbs of change of state | ESSERE | nascere, morire, crescere, diventare, guarire |
| Reflexive verbs | ESSERE | alzarsi, svegliarsi, divertirsi, sposarsi |
| Verb ESSERE | ESSERE | sono stato/a |
| Impersonal/atmospheric verbs | ESSERE | piovere, nevicare, grandinare |
| Verbs like PIACERE | ESSERE | piacere, mancare, costare, bastare |
| Transitive verbs | AVERE | mangiare, vedere, comprare, leggere |
| Generic action verbs | AVERE | lavorare, parlare, dormire, giocare |
| Verb AVERE | AVERE | ho avuto |
Tricks to Never Make Mistakes
Trick #1: The Movement Question
When you’re unsure about a movement verb, ask yourself: “Is there a specific destination? Am I going FROM one place TO another place?”
- If YES → ESSERE (Sono andato a Roma [I went to Rome])
- If NO → AVERE (Ho camminato per ore [I walked for hours])
Trick #2: The Reflexive Test
Do you see a MI, TI, SI, CI, VI in front of the verb? Then always use ESSERE and remember to make the past participle agree!
Trick #3: The Change Rule
Does the subject change state, condition, or position? Does it become something different from before? → Use ESSERE
Trick #4: The Direct Object Test
Can you ask “WHO?” or “WHAT?” after the verb? If the answer makes sense → it probably uses AVERE
- Ho mangiato [I ate] → Ate WHAT? (makes sense) → AVERE ✓
- Sono andato [I went] → Went WHAT? (doesn’t make sense) → ESSERE ✓
Special Cases and Difficult Verbs
CORRERE: ESSERE or AVERE?
The verb CORRERE can use both auxiliaries depending on the context:
- AVERE when it indicates the generic action of running: Ho corso per un’ora [I ran for an hour]
- ESSERE when it indicates movement toward a destination: Sono corso a casa appena ho saputo la notizia [I ran home as soon as I heard the news]
VIVERE: ESSERE or AVERE?
VIVERE also accepts both auxiliaries, with regional preferences:
- ESSERE (more common): Sono vissuto a Milano per 10 anni [I lived in Milan for 10 years]
- AVERE (acceptable): Ho vissuto una vita felice [I lived a happy life]
In general, when VIVERE indicates residing in a place, ESSERE is preferred; when it indicates life experience, AVERE is more common.
Modal Verbs (POTERE, DOVERE, VOLERE) + Infinitive
With modal verbs (or helping verbs) followed by an infinitive, the auxiliary depends on the infinitive verb:
- If the infinitive verb requires ESSERE → use ESSERE: Sono dovuto andare [I had to go] (andare = ESSERE)
- If the infinitive verb requires AVERE → use AVERE: Ho dovuto mangiare [I had to eat] (mangiare = AVERE)
NOTE: In modern spoken language, many Italians always use AVERE with modals (Ho dovuto andare), even though grammatically it would be more correct to follow the rule above.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why doesn’t the participle change with AVERE?
With the auxiliary AVERE, the past participle remains invariable (always masculine singular in -O) because the action is directed toward an external object, not toward the subject itself. Only with direct pronouns (lo, la, li, le) before the verb does the participle agree: Ho visto Maria [I saw Maria] → L’ho vista [I saw her].
Do you say “ho piaciuto” or “sono piaciuto”?
You say “sono piaciuto/a” [I was liked] because PIACERE always uses ESSERE. Remember: the subject is who/what is liked, not who experiences the liking. Io sono piaciuto a Maria [Maria liked me] = Maria finds me likeable.
Can I say “ho andato”?
No, it’s a very common mistake! ANDARE always requires ESSERE: sono andato/a [I went]. “Ho andato” doesn’t exist in correct Italian.
How do I remember all these verbs?
Don’t try to memorize endless lists! Focus on the categories (movement, change, reflexive, etc.) and do lots of practice. With time it will become automatic. Read a lot in Italian and pay attention to how auxiliaries are used in texts.
Do Italians ever make mistakes with auxiliaries?
Rarely with common verbs, but with less frequent verbs or in constructions with modal verbs, even native speakers can have doubts or use different forms from region to region. The important thing is to know the standard rules!
Final Summary: Your Quick Guide
Use ESSERE with:
- ✓ Verbs of movement with destination (andare, venire, partire…)
- ✓ Verbs of permanence (stare, restare, rimanere…)
- ✓ Verbs of change (nascere, morire, diventare, crescere…)
- ✓ ALL reflexive verbs (alzarsi, svegliarsi, divertirsi…)
- ✓ The verb ESSERE itself
- ✓ Impersonal and atmospheric verbs (piovere, nevicare…)
- ✓ Verbs like PIACERE (mancare, costare, bastare…)
- ✓ Remember: with ESSERE, the participle agrees with the subject!
Use AVERE with:
- ✓ Transitive verbs (with direct object)
- ✓ Generic action verbs (lavorare, parlare, dormire…)
- ✓ Movement verbs without destination (camminare, ballare, nuotare…)
- ✓ The verb AVERE itself
- ✓ All other verbs not included in the ESSERE categories
- ✓ Remember: with AVERE, the participle remains invariable in -O!
FINAL MESSAGE FOR YOU, DEAR LEARNAMICI:
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes! The correct use of auxiliaries comes with constant practice. Read a lot in Italian, listen to podcasts, watch films and TV series, and gradually the mechanism will become automatic. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn. Keep following us on LearnAmo for more useful content about the Italian language. Come on, you can do it!
If you’re interested in continuing to study Italian verbs, read this article about the Italian verb PIACERE!
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