Language/Corsican/Grammar/How-to-Use-Be

Corsican Grammar - How to Use "Be"

Hi Corsican learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will explore how to use the verb "to be" in Corsican. Just like in English, "to be" is an essential verb in Corsican that indicates existence, identity, or the nature of something. Mastering the use of "to be" in Corsican can improve your communication skills and help you express yourself with more precision. So get ready to learn and practice! But before we dive in, don't forget that to improve your Corsican Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Let's start by having a quick overview of the verb "to be" in Corsican.

1. Overview

The verb "to be" in Corsican is "esse" or "è". It is a highly irregular verb and therefore needs to be learned by heart. Here are some examples of "to be" in present tense:

Corsican	Pronunciation	English
u toccu di a chjaveonu	yu TO-kku dee ah CHJa-veh-OH-noo	I am the owner of the car
sì, stu hè u mio babbu	see, stew eh oo MEE-oo BAH-boo	Yes, this is my father
nimu hè perfettu	NEE-moo eh pair-FEH-too	Nobody is perfect
sò cum'è un scagnu	so koo-MEH oon SKAH-nyoo	I am like a dog

As you can see, "to be" is used to link a subject with a quality, identity, or state. It can be translated in English as "am", "is", "are", depending on the subject.

2. How to Use "To Be" in Corsican

Here are some simple rules to follow to use "to be" correctly in Corsican:

2.1 Present Tense

In present tense, "to be" is conjugated as follows:

Corsican	English
sò	I am
si	you are (informal)
ellu hè	he is
iddu hè	he is (Southern dialect)
ella hè	she is
essa hè	she is (Southern dialect)
no simu	we are
voi sì	you are (plural)
ellu sò	they are
iddi sò	they are (Southern dialect)

Notice that "to be" takes different forms depending on the subject and the dialect, but they all follow a similar pattern. Here are some examples:

• Person 1: Bonghjornu! Come stai? (Good morning! How are you?)
• Person 2: Sì bè, grazie. E tù? (I am fine, thanks. And you?)

• Person 1: U so nome hè Paule Chjara. (My name is Paule Chjara.)
• Person 2: Bonghjornu, Paule Chjara. Sò Andria. (Good morning, Paule Chjara. I am Andrea.)

• Person 1: Sèno esiste micca...? (Isn't fairies don't exist...?)
• Person 2: Nimu hè perfettu, ma sì, esistenu... (Nobody is perfect, but yes, they exist...)

• Person 1: Tuscu hè un lingua vicinu à l'italianu, nò? (Corsican is a language close to Italian, isn't it?)
• Person 2: Sì, hè cusì. Ma ghjè dinò ben distintu. (Yes, it is. But it is also very distinct.)

2.2 Past Tense

In past tense, "to be" is conjugated as follows:

Corsican	English
fussi	I was
fussisti	you were (informal)
ellu fù	he was
iddu fù	he was (Southern dialect)
ella fù	she was
essa fù	she was (Southern dialect)
fummu	we were
fussiti	you were (plural)
ellu fussi	they were
iddi fussi	they were (Southern dialect)

Here are some examples of "to be" in past tense:

• Person 1: In quant'è tempu fussi à Bastia? (How long were you in Bastia?)
• Person 2: Fussi per sette ghjorni. (I was there for a week.)

• Person 1: Una ghjornata ghjustu, idda hè stata quì. (Yesterday, she was here.)
• Person 2: Serà? Iddu fù disoccupatu! (Really? He was unemployed!)

• Person 1: Era un francesu ùn veru. (He was not really a Frenchman.)
• Person 2: Ughjave una faccia da talianu! (He had an Italian face!)

2.3 Future Tense

In future tense, "to be" is conjugated as follows:

Corsican	English
saraghju	I will be
sarai	you will be (informal)
ellu sarà	he will be
iddu sarà	he will be (Southern dialect)
ella sarà	she will be
essa sarà	she will be (Southern dialect)
saremu	we will be
sarate	you will be (plural)
ellu saraghju	they will be
iddi saraghju	they will be (Southern dialect)

Here are some examples of "to be" in future tense:

• Person 1: Avà, chè farai? (Now, what will you do?)
• Person 2: Serà ughjale, saraghju in u mio lettu... (Tonight, I will be in my bed...)

• Person 1: Iddu tornerà à tempu per mussà l'ingressu? (Will he come back in time to show the entrance?)
• Person 2: Speriamu, ellu sarà sempre à ritrunu. (We hope so, he will always come back.)

• Person 1: Ma in futuru, chì ne sarià di noi? (But in the future, what will become of us?)
• Person 2: Un populu chì sarà sempre forti, sì nò? (A people that will always be strong, isn't it?)

3. Common Expressions with "To Be"

"To be" is also often used in common expressions that you might encounter in everyday conversation. Here are some examples:

Corsican	English
sì, sì	yes, indeed
ùn sì, mica	no, not at all
sì certu	of course
cusì cum'è	like
ùn hè micca	it is not
esse à cuntrariu	to be on the contrary
à tèmpu	at the right time
à u lettu	in bed
à modu	in a way

Here is an example of how these expressions can be used:

• Person 1: Sì certu ch'è una bella ghjurnata? (Of course, it is a beautiful day, isn't it?)
• Person 2: Cum'è ùn vede nunda. (I don't see anything.)

• Person 1: Ò scupartu, sì Andria? (Excuse me, are you Andrea?)
• Person 2: Ùn sì, sì à cuntrariu. (No, on the contrary.)

• Person 1: Sò veru, ùn hè micca facile travaglià in aghjencia. (It's true, it is not easy to work in an agency.)
• Person 2: Ma ùn hè micca cusì cum'è in ogni postu. (But it is not like that everywhere.)

4. Conclusion

Congratulations, you have reached the end of this lesson about "to be" in Corsican! We hope that you have learned some useful tips and that you feel more confident in using this crucial verb. Remember, the best way to learn Corsican is to practice and immerse yourself in the language. Don't hesitate to reach out to Corsican speakers on Polyglot Club, find native speakers, and ask them any questions you might have. Keep up the good work and don't give up! A prestu! (See you soon!)

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Other Lessons

• Negation
• Plurals
• Adjectives
• Personal pronouns
• Give your Opinion
• Questions
• How to Use Have
• Future Tense
• Conditional Mood

Sources

• Corsican Grammar - How to Use "Be"
• Corsican language - Wikipedia
• Corsican Grammar - How to Use "Have"