When do you need to use C'E' and CI SONO?

Ciao! In this lesson you will learn how to use correctly "C’e’ " anche "ci sono".

You will use them when you want to say that something or somebody is physically in a place. So you are stating that something is present so it’s physically there.

Let’s look at some examples to make this more clear:

If I want to talk about the weather I will say

• Oggi ci sono le nuvole — (to say that it’s cloudy)
• Oggi c’è il sole — (to say that it is sunny)

In these two examples you are specifically saying that there are clouds in the sky (ci sono le nuvole) or that there is a sun in the sky (c’è il sole).

As you can see the difference from using one or the other is linked to the subject.

"Oggi ci sono le nuvole"

Let's break it down:

• nuvole means clouds ---> clouds is plural so you will need to use the form CI SONO

On the other hand you have "oggi c'e' il sole"

--> sole means sun --> sun is a singular word so you will need to use the form C’E’

Be careful and remember that C’E’ needs an apostrophe and an accent!

SO the formula is 

• C’è + SINGULAR
• CI SONO + PLURAL

But how about the negative form?

What do you say if you want to say that something is not there? Easy! you will need to add the NON particle!

Let’s take our first examples: 

• Oggi ci sono le nuvole — (to say that it’s cloudy) —- Oggi NON ci sono le nuvole — (to say that it isn’t cloudy)
• Oggi c’è il sole — (to say that it is sunny) — Oggi NON c’è il sole — (to say that it isn’t sunny)

Another way to say that something is missing… so to say that is it not physically there is to use the verb MANCARE.

You will need to use this verb in either its 3rd person singular or in the 3rd person plural once again depending on what comes after the verb.

• MANCA l’acqua — water is missing
• MANCANO le sedie — the chairs are missing

Once again you will use MANCA (3rd person singular) when after the verb you have a singular noun and you will use MANCANO the 3rd person plural when after the verbs you have a plural noun.

One last thing that I want to tell you is that you can always make these sentences questions by using the correct intonation! Check the YouTube video and listen to the intonation!

In the YouTube video you also have a fun little exercise to immediately practice what you have just learned! Check it out now!