8. The auxiliary verbs essere and avere
In Italian, there are two irregular verbs that function as auxiliary verbs in compound tenses (e.g. in the present perfect): essere to be and avere to have.
They are inflected in the following way in the present tense:
| ESSERE | AVERE |
|---|---|
| io sono | io ho |
| tu sei | tu hai |
| lui/lei/Lei è | lui/lei/Lei ha |
| noi siamo | noi abbiamo |
| voi siete | voi avete |
| loro sono | loro hanno |
The auxiliary essere is used with several verbs that do not have an object:
Siamo andati a casa.
We went home.
It is also used with reflexive verbs:
Si è pettinata i capelli.
She brushed her hair.
The auxiliary avere is used with several verbs that have an object:
Lui ha mangiato una mela.
He ate an apple.
It is also used with some verbs that denote movement and that do not have an object:
Ho camminato.
I walked.